Caution regarding the efficacy of healthcare apps

Dr. Kevin Pho (KevinMD.com and @kevinmd) has some sensible thoughts about assessing the efficacy of fitness apps in a column in USA Today. It is important to put this healthtech craze (which I am afflicted with) into perspective. First one should note that health apps and devices have become a big business. As he states: "By 2015, an estimated 500 million people worldwide will use a health app, turning the industry into a $26 billion business by 2017."

In particular Dr. Pho warns that one must be cautious about how to interpret the data (information, measurements, advice) from these apps and devices because of the following concerns (excerpt from column):

1. Danger of misdiagnoses. Consider those apps that claim to diagnose melanoma, a lethal form of skin cancer, by taking pictures of suspicious moles and analyzing them. A study from the Journal of the American Medical Association Dermatology looked at four apps and found that three misread actual melanomas as "unconcerning" 30% of the time. 
2. No scientific evidence. One study looked at all cancer-related apps and found that almost half did not contain scientifically validated data.
3. Lack of doctor involvement. Another study found that only 13 of 49 apps intended to help educate and treat patients with peripheral vascular disease involved any medical professional in its content or design.
4. Privacy concerns. Medical apps are not bound by strict privacy laws, and therefore sensitive patient information might be shared with advertisers. The non-profit Privacy Rights Clearinghouse found that 72% of free and paid medical apps had security and privacy risks.

One takeaway from the article is that it is important to find the right app or device that addresses these concerns. For example, one wants an app with the following characteristics:

1. Accuracy has been validated in a rigorous fashion.
2. Information is derived (in a transparent fashion) from reputable medical sources.
3. Promotes engagement with your doctor and affiliated medical services.
4. Respects your privacy.

Such apps exist and the key is finding them (which will be the subject of future posts).

Figure 1. Some of these free health/fitness apps may not be so good for you.