By Ricardo Mariscal, Comsalud.es
There is no denying that a digital revolution is occurring, fueled by the emergence of tools to support doctors in their clinical practice and to help patients manage their diseases.
Just in Spain, over 11000 medical applications are available at the App Store.
However, this avalanche of apps could very shortly lead to doctors and patients being unable to tell or distinguish which best suits their needs. Eventually, this sensation of trying to find ‘a needle in a haystack’ might put people off using them.
A recent article by a group of researchers led by the Dutch scientist Van Velsen has tried to throw some light on this issue, presenting a series of recommendations to “combat the overload of medical apps.”
The authors advise two main changes: firstly, apps should become portals with quality information that is freely available to everyone; secondly, the medical content should be standardized so that the information is presented identically on all medical apps.
The authors urge the large healthcare players to take the lead with these changes, creating information that can be used by developers on their apps.
Are Van Velsen and his colleagues’ recommendations practical? Is it feasible for the information to be open, bearing in mind the limitations this would place on copyright and the present business model?
These authors’ recommendations are undoubtedly interesting but we mustn’t forget the importance of having quality certification issued by an independent body of recognized prestige.
Spain is taking its first steps in this direction with the notable App Saludable from the Andalucian Quality Healthcare Agency, an initiative that should point the way for others.
Source: comsalud.es
