Mobile apps for chronic disease management: lessons learned from myFitnessCompanion ®

Nowadays, many health and fitness applications (apps) can be downloaded from app stores, changing the way people manage their health and chronic diseases. This paper reflects on 7 years of experience in mobile health and fitness app development. It analyzes the uptake of a health and fitness app, myFitnessCompanion®, by the healthcare industry and end-users dealing with chronic disease management. The use of myFitnessCompanion® is analyzed from an end-user perspective. The app is available via Google Play since February 2011 and the research presented is based on data collected from 5500 + users over a period of 7 months. The paper also discusses how mHealth apps could be distributed in the near future, as well as, the use of Personal Health Record (PHR) systems such as Microsoft HealthVault, and the impact of regulations on the future of mHealth apps. The conclusion highlights the challenges and opportunities for app developers in the mHealth industry.