Abstracts by keywords: mobile applications
More and more people are using mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops in their free time. They often use mobile applications, so-called apps. There are apps for a variety of application areas. They are used to search for information, communicate with friends and like-minded people or for entertainment purposes. A growing number of apps are also available in the healthcare sector. In a 2013 study, the IMS Health Institute for Healthcare Informatics examined the status quo of mobile apps in the healthcare sector that were developed specifically for patients. Although the study focuses on the US market, key results can be transferred to other countries. The same applies in Germany as in the USA: The market for patient apps is currently still opaque and weakly regulated. However, due to the special requirements of medical apps, we can already see the beginnings of institutionalized regulation. The first apps have proven their benefits in randomized controlled studies in order to be recommended for use in the ranks of medical devices and thus perhaps soon for reimbursement by health insurance companies.