(Image source from: tecnologia.mediatelecom.com.mx)

Health and fitness applications are becoming progressively refined, and healthcare organizations are figuring out how to embrace their use by patients.

It is hard to measure the entire number of apps designed for consumers—yet, a couple years ago, the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics set the total number of mobile health apps at 165,000—given the rate of growth at the time, that number is closer to 200,000 now. Approximately two-thirds of apps are related to health and fitness.

Apps are increasingly being integrated to enable their use for a use well-rounded view of their health, diet and fitness goals.

Here are some of the most popular apps, as well as a choice of apps that are reinventing the way consumers seek healthcare.

ActiveX
                       Image source: Active.com
ACTIVEx renders customized Tabata physical exercises, training program, weekly applicable content and a community of active people to help users reach goals. Users can build their own workouts with their best-loved moves or take on training plans and challenges created by trainers.

Amwell
                      Image source: Life with Lisa
Amwell commits to bringing inexpensive medical aid to smartphones, enabling users to see a doctor in minutes. Amwell connects them to board-certified, experienced medical providers. Healthcare is present accessible, 24/7, with on-demand or scheduled appointments, oftentimes with next-day availability.

The Apple Heart Study
                       Image source: DistilNFO
In an up-to-date use of the Apple Watch for medical research, Apple is partnering with Stanford Medicine to conduct research on irregular heart rhythms. Participation is easy, by just downloading an app. It can be used by any U.S. resident older than 22 using a recent iPhone and an Apple Watch Series 1 or later. After the app is downloaded, users are asked to give consent for participation. The heart rate sensor data provided over time will be collected by Stanford Medicine and Apple for research analysis.

BetterMe Weight Loss Workouts
                        Image souce: KnowTechie
BetterMe is intended to help users achieve personal wellness objectives by building and modifying meal and workout plans. BetterMe enables users to benefit from the expertise of fitness and diet specialists. To build on the benefits of constant physical workouts, BetterMe offers a list of meal plans compiled on the basis of a user’s dietary habits and needs.

BlueStar

BlueStar is an FDA-cleared in-app diabetes coach developed by WellDoc. The vendor says using the app will enable those with diabetic concerns to lower their A1C and achieve diabetes health goals through BlueStar's guidance, education, motivation, and accountability. It is only available by prescription, and the software provides summarized data and analytics to a patient's providers.

By Sowmya Sangam