Some of the most popular techniques for medication management may fall short when patients are on the go. Pill boxes can be forgotten in one’s jacket pocket or car, and some automatic pill dispensers are too large to fit inside a purse. However, many people carry cellular phones. Small and noisy, these devices can be an effective tool for managing one’s drug regimen. Several companies have developed iPhone applications that remind patients to take their pills:
Medic8Manager’s Personal Caregiver includes such features notification alarms, refill reminders, as-needed medications, missed dose alerts, and a drug database.
The Medications Tracker (iMedications) app by iHealth Ventures lets users plug in their medications along with the dosage, frequency, and refill information. Users can email their medication information to their doctors.
Life tracking website TheCarrot.com, operated by Health Analytic Services, has an iPhone app that allows patients to schedule and manage their medications. Patients can also track other aspects of their lives, such as diet and exercise.
The Pill Phone, developed by interactive messaging provider Vocel, touts itself as “the only wireless application to have FDA approval for medication management.” Users can schedule medication reminders and access a digital version of the popular medication guide The Pill Book.
Indianapolis-based Community Health Network offers myCommunity Pillbox, a mobile app that gives patients medication scheduling capabilities, a medication database, and a searchable list of local physicians.
Smartphone apps let patients take control of their health in a variety of ways: medication management, symptom checkers, monitoring devices and more. What are some great medical apps you’ve come across?