News : First HealthKit compatible app hits the App Store.

[Anonymous]

Headline : First HealthKit compatible app hits the App Store. 

Excerpt from the Link "One of the first HealthKit compatible apps to hit the App Store is FitPort [iTunes link - $1.99], which looks like a replacement for the Health app. It provides a dashboard for your health and fitness data that is collected from the Health app such as Steps, Walking + Running Distance, Active Calories, Dietary Calories, Dietary Calories and Body Fat. You can also input your data manually, which is stored in the Health app."

My Thoughts :

I'm not yet convinced that these Apps give as good as a return on fitness as they state ,but as I always like to give Tech a chance ~ I'll have a go with them and report back. 

Has anyone used these types of apps / software and what's your opinion on them ?

Source : iPhonehacks

Read More Here : Health App Info

[Cleoriff]

If honest BoB I have many doubts about them. I can't admit to using them...

However, I am slightly wary of how the individual would interpret the information given by these apps...

This is very much a personal opinion...

[Anonymous]

Due to your background your opinion is very much welcomed and respected @Cleoriff

I'll be trying out some of the more basic features to see how well it works.

[davethorp]

The Patient Access app that my GP uses for appointments and prescriptions got an update today to tie into this. So my GP now gets a regular update of how many steps I've walked, stairs I've climbed and how far I've walked each day.

I'm sure he's thrilled

[Anonymous]

Big Brother 'Dr' is watching........

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Has anyone used these types of apps / software and what's your opinion on them ?

I use a few of these apps, and the healthkit was one of the things I was most interested in iOS 8.

I have Runkeeper to track my walking, but it will show different distances for the same walk to and from work. It varies from 3.2 to 2.94 miles but I think actual distance is 3.11 according to online maps. I'm not too bothered about the accuracy as I only want to know roughly how far I walk. 

However I have the Withings scale and blood pressure products which come with companion apps, and they match up with readings I get elsewhere.

I would generally say that companion apps for the better gadgets can be quite accurate if they are measuring things like BP, weight, heart rate and stuff like that, but those that measure sleep or apps that just use your phone's sensors, I'm not convinced how accurate they are but the only one of those I have is Runkeeper to base my opinion on.

[jonsie]

My doctor would have a panic attack!

[davethorp]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Big Brother 'Dr' is watching........

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I can see some benefits. Not with the information I've currently got in health but there are options to put things like blood pressure readings in. I'm on medication for my blood pressure so if I were to put readings in or get a monitor that links to my phone if I'm feeling rich and they get passed on to my doctor, that would be of benefit.

It's a pity the focus is on physical health too as I have mental health issues that it would be of benefit too if there was something in health to track my mood

[Cleoriff]

@davethorp  I really respect your ability to keep track of your health re blood pressure etc...

I do have concerns however about these apps being used by someone who may then self diagnose..or worry unnecessarily....

[davethorp]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

@davethorp  I really respect your ability to keep track of your health re blood pressure etc...

I do have concerns however about these apps being used by someone who may then self diagnose..or worry unnecessarily....

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That's always going to be an issue these days especially as it's easy if something is wrong with you to google the symptoms and suddenly discover a wide range of horrifying things that it probably isn't. I'm probably guilty of that myself particularly a few years ago when I got regular chest pains which turned out to be acid, but were still pretty frightening

I think healthkits benefit will be for someone who has already been diagnosed with a condition to allow them, and their GP to keep track of it. Coming back to blood pressure again, if I were to take readings and key them into healthkit or use a monitor that syncs with the phone and then that syncs with my GP, if there is suddenly a rise in readings it could trigger them to contact me to come in so they can check it out themselves or if I notice the rise I could make an appointment myself. 

Actually thinking about it, given all this information is being fed through the app that I use to make appointments, the app could handle this itself and send me a push saying my BP is raised and I possibly should make an appointment to get it checked out