Two researchers at the College of Pharmacy’s Center for Consumer Health Informatics Research are developing an app called Health eConnect, which gives users personalized health tips based on their level of physical activity, blood pressure, blood sugar and current medication list.
Kevin Clauson, associate professor at the College of Pharmacy and director of the center, and Zaher Hajar, research fellow at the college, have already developed a prototype of the app’s blood pressure measuring function. Along with three developers from Poland-based Techmind, they began developing this function in May as part of the Re-imagining Consumer Health With Windows 8 And HealthVault Challenge.
In July, the team won first place in the challenge. They’ll use the $10,000 prize to invest in the further development and promotion of the app.
Hajar said the app’s future developments will allow users to measure their blood sugar, track their physical activity and download medication information from patient profiles maintained at major pharmacy chains like CVS.
App users do not have to input information into the app; the app will wirelessly synchronize with Microsoft HealthVault, an online database that stores health information. The app will also be able to synchronize with wireless blood pressure cuffs and glucometers that are compatible with HealthVault.
Health eConnect interprets the information from HealthVault in lay language and gives the users tips on how to improve their health.
“The patient may read ‘130 mg/dL blood sugar’ and not understand what this level means,” Hajar said. “Health eConnect would provide him with feedback about his recent health information and engaging tips on how to reach better health outcomes.”
Clauson said the team wanted the app to build on the participatory medicine model of healthcare in which patients are actively involved in their healthcare.
“We wanted to incorporate the personal health record function of Microsoft HealthVault so they can actually take advantage of the health information that they help generate,” Clauson said.Hajar said the team’s goal with the app is to engage patients as much as possible in the monitoring of any health conditions.
“We’re hoping that the tips provided by the app, which are in lay language and are very patient-focused, will change the behavior of the patient toward better health outcomes,” Hajar said.
Clauson said, “All they have to do is measure [their blood pressure and blood glucose], and then the technology in our app, through HealthVault, will actually import the stream of data for them.”
Because of its blood pressure, blood sugar and activity tracking functions, the app is targeted toward people with diabetes and high blood pressure. However, Hajar said the app can be used by anyone using medication or anyone wanting to track their blood pressure.
Hajar said he and his colleagues were happy with their success at the challenge.
“I’m grateful that NSU and the Center for Consumer Health Informatics Research at the College of Pharmacy created an environment that facilitated participation in such challenges,” Hajar said. “We know that the app is valuable and it may impact patients’ lives once it’s fully developed.”
The app will be designed to be submitted to the Windows Store and used with Windows 8, a touch-based program used with tablets. The team is also considering adapting the app to other devices such as Android and iPhone in the future.
The team is planning to deliver the app to the Windows Store by December.
