"How To Choose The Best Health App For You" - Ashish Atreja, MD, MPH
Improving your health is always a popular New Year's resolution. Today, digital tools are widely available to help us keep this resolution. The array of options is dizzying, with 318,000 health-related apps available for your smartphone or tablet, covering nearly every type of disease, and virtually any health and wellness topic, from meditation to smoking cessation. Ashish Atreja, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine and gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, director of the Sinai AppLab, and chief technology, innovation and engagement officer at the Mount Sinai Hospital said that not all apps are created equal in delivering high quality and meaningful results. There are some strategies to help you tell the good from the bad. "Some health apps may make false, exaggerated, or unproven claims. Look for those backed by scientific evidence supporting their use. If you feel overwhelmed by the number of similar apps, ask your doctor if he or she can recommend one," said Dr. Atreja. Apps can be a valuable tool for building a path toward better health through better knowledge, health tracking, and data exchange.
- Ashish Atreja, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Medicine, Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director, Sinai AppLab, Chief Technology, Innovation and Engagement Officer, The Mount Sinai Hospital