Thanks to a boom in digital health, the smartphone has assumed the role of everything from an ever-present fitness coach to FDA-approved heart monitor. And, as consumers move to mobile platforms, surveys show that more people are not only turning to their mobile devices for health information, they’re quickly imbuing the new technology with a great deal of trust (maybe too much trust given the poor quality of many apps currently available). A study earlier this month from Royal Philips Electronics found that nearly a third of Americans said they use interactive health applications or symptom checker websites instead of going to the doctor. But as some point out, the adoption of mobile health apps has been uneven, with most consumers gravitating to those for exercise, diet and weight and doctors indicating interest in, but not necessarily widespread adoption of, mobile apps.
