Which Healthcare Apps are the Most Useful?
- Category: Health & Wellness
- Posted On:
- Written By: Brad Gaspard, MD
By Brad Gaspard, MD - Baton Rouge General Physicians
With nearly half a million healthcare apps available today, it’s easier than ever for patients to stay engaged in their health after they leave their physician’s office. Keeping track of symptoms, diet, and exercise used to require a detailed calendar and journal. Now it just takes a few clicks. But, how do you know where to start? Here are a few apps I often recommend to my patients:
First, MyFitnessPal. Tracking what and how much you eat each day can be a wake-up call for a lot of people. While there are lots of calorie and nutrient trackers out there, MyFitnessPal is the gold standard when it comes to simplicity and ease of use.
For exercise, I like Nike Run Club for runners and Nike Training Club for routines that can be done at home or on the road.
GoodRX is an app that allows you to search local pharmacies for the lowest cost on your prescriptions. I use it regularly for prescriptions with high out-of-pocket costs.
For women, period trackers are a good way to keep track of your cycle and know what’s normal for you. I like P Tracker and Clue for their customizability.
When it comes to new parents, I recommend Baby Tracker. It allows parents to keep track of their baby’s sleep schedule, feeding schedule, milestones and more. It’s great for sharing info with a spouse, grandparent or babysitter too.
Finally, there’s patient education. There are a lot of resources out there, but I tend to stick to the established brands. WebMD and the Mayo Clinic both have good apps filled with credible health information.
