A standout trend in medical technology is the rapid rise and widespread adoption of health apps. Are they good news for patients, or a problem to be addressed?
Digital technology has transformed industries across the board, with healthcare among the most profoundly affected.
The intersection of medicine and technology, often called ‘MedTech’, has reshaped modern healthcare.
Apps that run on our phone, tablets and computers are an example of MedTech that many of us are already using.
They’ve been developed by both commercial tech companies and government institutions, and some of us use a mix of private and public sector apps right now to manage our healthcare.
Over the past two decades, commercial health apps have experienced a remarkable rise in popularity, fuelled by the proliferation of smartphones and app stores.
Early iterations focused on fitness and wellness, incorporating features like gamification, social sharing, and goal setting to engage users and motivate them toward healthier lifestyles.
These apps, often paired with devices capable of tracking physical activity, monitoring calorie intake, and even measuring heart rate, quickly found a receptive audience.
As the industry evolved, health apps began addressing more specialized needs, such as chronic disease management, mental health support, and public health monitoring.
Some of these advanced solutions have even been classified as medical devices, performing critical functions like diagnosing, monitoring, or treating illnesses.
Unlike traditional medical devices, these applications often operate independently of physical hardware, making them exceptionally versatile in modern healthcare.
However, their critical role requires strict regulatory oversight to ensure they meet safety, efficacy, and compliance standards.
To achieve this, it is essential to conduct thorough user research with service users throughout the design process, ensuring these solutions align with compliance requirements and user needs.
These innovations are transforming how people manage their health, shifting care from clinical settings to home environments.
By integrating with wearable devices, many apps now provide users with a comprehensive view of their daily health metrics.
This shift aligns with a growing demand for personalized health management, powered by technologies such as AI, machine learning, and advanced sensors.
Smartwatches, fitness bands, and other wearables have become commonplace, capturing real-time data on metrics like heart rate, oxygen levels, and sleep patterns.
This data-driven approach not only empowers individuals to take charge of their well-being but also enables early detection of potential health issues.
Together, these technologies are reshaping healthcare into a more proactive, personalized, and accessible experience for users worldwide.
Seeing the success and impact of commercial health apps, some governments have also stepped into the digital health space.
They've created their own applications to improve public health, expand healthcare access, and manage population health more effectively.
Unlike commercial apps, government health apps have distinct goals.
Some are designed to gather population-wide health data, enabling targeted interventions based on community-specific needs.
A key objective here is to reduce health disparities, particularly in rural and underserved areas, by improving healthcare accessibility.
These apps also support faster emergency responses, facilitating data-driven public health decisions.
These goals align closely with key points from the speech Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer gave in September about the NHS, in which he introduced a 10-year reform plan.
Sir Keir outlined three main areas for transformation:
He highlighted the “extraordinary potential" of technology to reshape healthcare delivery.
He also emphasised the importance of empowering patients to control their health data, allowing them to decide how it’s used and shared, which he believes will lead to better choices and faster care.
The COVID-19 pandemic underlined the need for collaboration between public health agencies and commercial app developers.
Many countries adopted contact-tracing apps based on technology frameworks created by Google and Apple, combining government oversight with commercial infrastructure for quick and widespread deployment.
This partnership was essential for rapid responses and ensuring data privacy, setting a precedent for future collaborations.
Looking ahead, health apps – both commercial and government-driven – are likely to merge into a unified ecosystem where personal health management and public health monitoring coexist seamlessly.
Commercial health apps, with their focus on innovation and user engagement, remain valuable tools for self-management, while government-driven apps aim to address systemic health needs and public health goals.
Ultimately, the goal for both sectors is to foster a healthier, more informed society, with digital tools playing a central role in creating a sustainable healthcare future.
The idea of a government-led health app in the UK has been explored before.
In 2021, the Department of Health and Social Care announced plans for an app aimed at encouraging healthier diets and physical activity.
It was designed to work with wrist-worn devices, offering personalised health recommendations and rewards for users who achieved health goals. The pilot was launched in Wolverhampton in 2023, wrapping up in October 2023. As far as I can tell, we’re still waiting for a readout of whether it was successful.
A government-led health app aligns with the growing trend of digital health solutions and the Prime Minister’s vision of empowering patients to control their data and adopt a prevention-first approach.
However, there are several hurdles in the way before an official UK healthcare app can be developed and rolled out.
Government apps in particular have to meet the highest standards of data privacy.
Managing sensitive health data requires stringent security measures, and balancing data protection with the use of this information for diagnosis and treatment is complex.
While such apps could expand healthcare access disparities in socioeconomic status, geography, and technology access could create gaps in care – and potentially worsen health inequalities.
Ethical and regulatory concerns also arise, especially with the use of AI and machine learning, which raise issues around accountability, bias, and the risk of dehumanizing healthcare.
Additionally, bureaucratic delays and budget constraints could hinder development and limit innovation.
To be effective, government health apps must not only expand healthcare access but also be designed in a way that promotes equity, builds public trust, and aligns with evolving healthcare needs.
With careful planning, investment, and collaboration, a government-led health app could play a pivotal role in reshaping the future of healthcare in the UK, fostering a more informed, healthier, and proactive society.
At Sparck/BJSS we spend a lot of time thinking and talking about healthcare technology and apps in particular. Here are recommended blog posts by some of my colleagues: