An overview of clinically and healthcare related apps in Google and Apple app stores: connecting patients, drugs, and clinicians

Abstract

Successful clinical outcomes involve both clinician and patient factors such as good decision making, accurate diagnosis, patient compliance, effective monitoring of the condition, and accurate interpretation of clinical results. With a general trend in healthcare towards personalized medicine, the smartphone holds great potential to play a role in personalized care and aid in the above mentioned factors. Through the use of apps, the increasingly powerful smartphone may be a useful aid in the healthcare and clinical industries. This review surveys the currently available apps in Google and Apple app stores that are purposed for aiding healthcare and clinical use, and discusses how they may also help transform the smartphone in a medically relevant device.