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A study in the BC Medical Journal finds that “the rapid growth of mobile technologies means anyone with a smart phone can access health information and track personal medical data— an opportunity that requires communication between health professionals and consumers to ensure appropriate use of these tools.”

Dr Kendall Ho, director of the eHealth Strategy Office and a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of British Columbia, writes that “while it would be nearly impossible to accurately track the number of health apps available globally, the US Food and Drug Administration presented a report in 2012 that estimated 17,828 health and fitness apps and 14,558 medical apps were available.”

Given the explosion of apps, Dr. Ho finds offers suggestions for how health professionals can encourage people “to use apps appropriately.” Ideas include:

• “Commit to being an active health consumer by taking an interest in your own health, and going online to find at least one app that could help you maintain or improve your health.”
• “Think of ways an app might help you improve your health: Do you need to exercise more? Lose a few pounds? Know how your blood pressure and heart rate are doing or how well you are sleeping at night?”