Phoenix, Arizona (NAPSI) - Mobile health apps are gaining popularity as people try to manage their health using smartphones. These mobile health apps feature a wide range of functions, from letting individuals monitor their calorie intake to helping doctors view a patient’s X-rays remotely.
In 2012, nearly 250 million smartphone users worldwide downloaded health apps. In addition, seven in 10 (69 percent) U.S. adults tracked a health indicator for themselves or a loved one and nearly half (46 percent) said this activity changed their overall approach to health. Doctors are also increasingly recommending apps and the medical devices they work with to help their patients manage chronic illnesses, such as diabetes. In fact, 90 percent of those surveyed agree that the Internet and mobile apps can help lead to major improvements for diabetes patients.
For the 26 million Americans living with diabetes, regular blood sugar monitoring can help to detect high and low blood sugar levels and make therapy and lifestyle adjustments. This is important because improved blood sugar control has been shown to prevent or delay complications.
Now, people with diabetes can check, manage and share their blood sugar results on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The new OneTouch VerioSync Meter uses Bluetooth technology to send test results wirelessly to these devices using the OneTouch Reveal mobile app. The app provides a simple 14-day snapshot of how often results are within range, automatically creates a color-coded logbook, and makes it easy to share results with health care professionals, caregivers or family members by text or e-mail.
“When you consider how many of us rely on our smartphones on a daily basis, managing chronic illnesses such as diabetes is a promising area for mobile health applications,” said Jeremy Pettus, M.D., UCSD Department of Endocrinology. “It’s exciting to see true wireless communication brought to blood glucose monitoring. By helping patients to easily access, understand and share their blood sugar data via their iPhone, a system like the OneTouch VerioSync can help lead to better self-management and more productive conversations with their health care professional.”
The OneTouch VerioSync System offers several features to aid in daily diabetes management, when used with the OneTouch Reveal mobile app:
• 14-Day Summary Screen with color-coded bar graphs showing the percentage of results within, above and below an individual’s personalized blood sugar target range.
• Electronic Logbook automatically organizes and color codes blood sugar results over a two-week period.
• Pattern Alerts make it easy to spot patterns of high and low blood sugar results.
• Illuminated Screen and Test Strip Port for testing in dimly lit or dark conditions.
• Data Sharing feature allows information about blood sugar results to be sent via text or e-mail.
The OneTouch VerioSync Meter uses OneTouch Verio Test Strips, which are covered at the lowest co-pay on most health plans1 and are always covered by Medicare Part B2.
The meter is available for $29.99 at the OneTouch online store, www.ShopOneTouch.com, and is also available online at other retailers. The OneTouch Reveal mobile app is available as a free download from the App Store.
For more information about the OneTouch VerioSync System or other diabetes products or services, visit www.OneTouch.com.
