TTA Archives 2005-2012

Mobile health apps right now are ‘one size fits all’. But what if they were not? Researchers at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) are working on a vision: to create apps which factor in the user/patient’s behavior, then modify their alerts and/or coaching accordingly. Their wStack app engine is a platform to quickly create apps and demos for both smart and feature phones. Not yet the ability of walking past your favorite watering hole after a ‘black Friday’ and cautioning you to not enter because after drowning your sorrows you might start puffing again, but that is the goal. But can we get any of the payers or care providers to finance this? It’s tough to sell the conventional setup now (with plug in or Bluetooth devices into a conventional or wireless hub). And mobile phones present a range of difficulties (such as cost, physical mobility) for the less tech sophisticated who are the oldest and sickest, who ironically can benefit most. The race is on for the killer [sic] health app at UCSF (SF Public Press)