General Instructions
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Mobile health, also known as mHealth, is the secure use of mobile digital wireless technologies to support health. Awareness and skillful use of mHealth applications (apps) are key to advancing health outcomes.
Use the table below to identify the mHealth app for this assignment based on the first letter of your first name. For example, if your first name is Gilda then your assigned app is Medscape. My Name starts with R
First letter of your first name
mHealth app for Assignment
A-E
MDCalc
F-J
Medscape
K-O
The Chief Complaint
P-S
Drugs.com
T-Z
SingleCare
Use the Google Play Store for Android devices or the Apple iTunes App Store for Apple devices to search for the assigned medical application in the table above.
Download the app to a mobile device (smartphone or tablet). The apps are free and do not require purchase to complete this assignment.
Include the following sections:
Application of Course Knowledge : Answer all questions/criteria with explanations and detail.
Name of the app : Identify the name of the app.
Author : Describe who created, developed, or maintains the app.
Endorsement : Identify whether the app is licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, another government agency, or endorsed by an academic institution or medical professional organization. Discuss the implications (or lack) of endorsement.
Aesthetics : Discuss whether the information is displayed in a way that is easy to navigate. Is it easy to use? Can you use it without instructions? Explain.
Purpose : Describe the intended purpose or use of the app.
Clinical decision-making : Discuss the influence of the app on clinical decision-making.
Safety : Is there potential for client harm? Explain.
Privacy/security : Identify if the app has a privacy statement or setting. Is there a clear privacy policy stating information will be encrypted and not shared with third parties? Does the app share information on social networks? Are users notified in the event of a breach of privacy and health information? Explain.
User : Explain for whom is the app intended (providers, clients, or others).
Credibility : Discuss the credibility of the sources of information and how credibility is verified.
Relevance : Discuss how current the information is in the app. When was the last update? Is the content consistent with evidence-based literature or best practices/standards of care? Explain.
Evaluation of the Drugs.com mHealth Application Essay
Evaluation of the Drugs.com mHealth Application
Shortened as mHealth, ‘Mobile Heath’ and related applications have become indispensable tools in the healthcare sector today. In addition to revolutionizing care delivery, the application has enabled users to access critical information about their health securely and quickly ( de Barros et al., 2021 ). Different apps are inexistence offering diverse applications to their users. This paper provides a detailed evaluation of the Drugs.com app, its application, usability credibility and its use in clinical decision-making.
The assigned app is ‘Drugs.com’. Drugsite Trust developed and maintained the app . This organization is dedicated to providing accessible, accurate, and comprehensive drug information. According to Drugs.com (2019), the organization draws its data from the FDA, National library of medicine and the American formulary services, which has greatly improved the quality and reliability of the information provided.
Regarding endorsement, the app does not possess a specific license from the FDA but instead draws its data from reputable sources such as the FDA ( Arora et al., 2020 ). The lack of official endorsement by the government may affect trust from some users; however, using credible and reliable sourced information such as the FDA has helped compensate for the gap.
The user experience factor drove the app developers. Navigation is easy with a clean and easy-to-use interface, allowing users to search for drug side effects easily. Integrations without needing extensive instructions. On the other hand, the app layout is pleasing, with easy-to-access categories, enabling users to access information quickly.
The primary purpose of the Drugs.com app is to provide easily accessible and reliable information about drugs and tools for managing medication. Key features include drug lookup, identifier, personal medication records, and medication interaction checker. The multiple services offered by the app enable users, patients, and care providers to make informed decisions about medication use, effectiveness and safety (Arora et al., 2020).
Concerning decision-making, the app significantly aids both patients and care providers in accessing drug information, side effects, interactions, and dosage guidelines. However, it should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice; end users are encouraged to liaise with their care providers for personalized guidance Evaluation of the Drugs.com mHealth Application Essay.
Despite being a reliable application in the health sector, there is potential for client harm whereby users rely solely on the app without consulting professional care providers, hence the potential for misuse. In terms of privacy and security, the app entails a detailed and comprehensive privacy policy, hence ensuring users’ data is protected and encrypted for third-party sharing without consent. It does not share users’ details on other platforms, such as social networks, with users sent notifications in case of bleach. These measures denote the app’s commitment to ensuring privacy and security as demanded by the evolving mHealth sector needs.
The primary users of the app include healthcare providers, pharmacists and consumers who all need detailed and reliable information about drugs. The app is designed to be accessed by professionals and the public, and the information and tools offered are presented in a way that suits diverse end users. In terms of the app’s credibility, the app’s credibility is enhanced with the information sourced from credible agencies and databases such as the FDA. More so, it provides citations for its sources and information, making it easy for users to verify.
Lastly, the Drugs.com app is frequently updated, making recent and other critical changes. The frequent updates have increased the app’s relevance and trust levels among its users, with information provided aligning with evidence-based practices and the latest standards of care. The app also displays recent updates, improving users’ trust and transparency (de Barros et al., 2021).
In summary, Drugs.com is a mHealth app offering a comprehensive platform for users to access reliable drug information. Its user-friendly interface, ease of use, and frequently updated data make it a trusted app among its users, which varies between healthcare providers, pharmacists and patients or consumers. It’s a source of decision-making regarding the use of medications and related management, resulting in improved health outcomes.
References
Arora, S., Yttri, J., & Nilse, W. (2020). Privacy and Security in Mobile Health (mHealth) Research. Alcohol research : current reviews , 36 (1), 143–152.
de Barros, K. A. A. L., Martins, M. A. P., Praxedes, M. F. D. S., & Ribeiro, A. L. P. (2021). Effectiveness and usability of mobile health applications for medication adherence in patients with heart failure: a systematic review protocol. JBI evidence synthesis , 19 (10), 2777–2782. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-20-00399
Drugs.com. (2019). Drug Index A to Z . Drugs.com; Drugs.com. https://www.drugs.com/drug_information.html Evaluation of the Drugs.com mHealth Application Essay
