The Health App Challenge was a one-year project that supported patients with diabetes or pre/post weight loss surgery to design and/or develop their very own health apps (e.g. mobile app, website or social media) to help manage their condition. Participants were offered advice from intellectual property experts, technical developers and medical professionals. Other patients were invited to review existing health apps they had used to help inform others, and review the Challenge entries to determine a winner.
Five teams entered the Challenge with their unique diabetes apps designs:
• BWell Sugars System, a simple data entry and blood glucose trends tracker design.
• BetterBGs, a clever real-time insulin and food dose advisory system design.
• EasyDiabetes, a useful organiser design with a range of tools specifically for teens.
• Dap’n, a motivational game design for better adherence to medical recommendations.
• Gluco-Drive, a sensible alert design for monitoring blood glucose levels before driving.
Dap’n’, the app design by Reina Yaidoo and her team, was chosen as winner of the contest for its high ratings (5/5) and praise from peer reviewers.
As a key outcome of the project, the team produced a booklet, ‘Patient-led innovation: How to run, take part in and support a Health App Challenge’, a combination of project experiences and information as asked by participants during the Challenge. It’s available at http://goo.gl/i9IRZO.
As a result of the challenge, there will soon be a new online community area for networking opportunities between people interested in patient-led health app development. We will announce that when it’s completed and ready to use.
The project team would really like to know your views on this patient-led approach and on health app development in general, in a very brief, anonymous, 3-question survey. Everyone is encouraged to complete it at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HAC2014 and all feedback is much appreciated.
The Health App Challenge project was run by Plymouth University, funded by the Intellectual Property Office Fast Forward Competition 2014 and supported by Diabetes UK, WLSinfo, Handi, and Britain’s Nurses.
This news item first appeared in Desang Diabetes Magazine, our free-to-receive digital journal. We cover diabetes news, diabetes management equipment (diabetes kit) and news about food suitable for a diabetic diet. Go to the top of this page to sign up – we just need your email address.
