Medica Searches for Innovative Health Apps

Medica, the international medical product trade show, is holding a competition via AppCircus for the most innovative health app this year. Apps—the now ubiquitous short-form term for “applications”—are software programs that run on mobile devices such as cell phones and tablets and that help the user access information or perform a number of other tasks.

Participation in the competition is free of charge; Applications must serve a healthcare related need in the broadest sense (from health to wellness); And apps that are either simple or that link to external peripherals are acceptable. Selected entries will be presented at Medica 2012, to be held in Düsseldorf, Germany from November 14-17. The deadline for entries is August 1.

Volker Amelung, Ph.D., specialist professor for International Health Systems Research at Hannover Medical School and member of the Expert Circle of the Medica Health IT Forum, believes apps will play a more and more important role in the future of the health industry. “Even if apps can only be used by 20 percent of the population, they would be of benefit to these people,” he said. “There will never be a solution for all problems.” He points to the app “MyPill” from Swiss pharmaceutical supplier Zur Rose, which provides assistance for the correct dispension of birth control medication. The app reminds the user when it is time to take the medication, and documents when the user took the pill in the past. Amelung believes apps such as these would be of interest to health insurance companies.

Siemens-Forschung Corporate Technology, Vivantes Clinic, Telemedicine Centre Charité, Prisma, Tembit and other firms currently are running trials to look at how patients with kidney damage could receive dialysis in a gentle and safe way in their own homes with the help of an app. In a first-of-its-kind test, dialysis patients in Berlin will be equipped with a telemedical assistance system. This is hoped to enable them to perform a telemedically assisted peritoneal dialysis every day by themselves, a doctor helping via remote control. The field test, which will be conducted for several months, is part of the “Smart Senior” project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research.

AppCircus will run four monthly online competitions with two apps per month winning a slot to pitch live on stage at Medica 2012. Entries for the app competition may be submitted here.