DVIDS – News – Military health system uses mobile apps for war preparedness

The Military Health System uses advanced digital health technologies to improve health outcomes. Timely, accurate and useful health information is critical to supporting military medical personnel and patients.

The Defense Health Agency Mobility office supports the development of mobile apps to connect patients and medical staff with valuable health information so they can make informed healthcare decisions.

“Mobile apps are any application designed for a user on a mobile device, usually iPhone or Android devices,” said David Coleman, chief of operations and maintenance, Web and Mobile Technology Program, Defense Health Agency.

“Most people expect mobile apps to be limited to what’s available in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, but there are also websites designed to work on a mobile device and mimic the behavior we’re all used to are from an app on our phone.”

The DHA uses and creates mobile apps because “much of our community prefers to use a mobile device, and the number of users we see accessing websites and services from mobile devices continues to grow year over year,” says Neal Machin, DHA deputy chief, web and mobile technology. “It only makes sense to provide access to your user base on the platform they prefer.”

The use of mobile apps directly supports MHS and DHA’s strategic plans by leveraging technology to improve patient healthcare.

Coleman said: “Most patients have a smartphone in their pocket, but probably don’t have a laptop with them. Most patients also use their smartphone exclusively, and it is usually not a shared device. This combination of access and privacy gives patients a tool that is constantly available to them and can be tailored to their preferences.”

Beneficiaries can access important information 24/7 through the Military Health System mobile apps.

Most DHA mobile apps are created and/or supported by DHA’s Web & Mobile Technology Program Management Office and Solution Delivery Division. Machin said there are groups within the DHA that can develop and deploy their own mobile capabilities. The DHA Web & Mobile Technology team is available as a service for developing mobile applications.

Machin explained that some apps are niche apps and have a smaller user base, while others could potentially have thousands of users.

Some apps are designed specifically for patient use, while others are designed for healthcare providers and staff at military hospitals and clinics, while others have a broad audience. Currently, the DHA operates approximately 30 apps.

Beneficiaries can access their personal information and keep track of appointments and medical prescriptions, while also having access to resources that help maintain medical readiness, mental health and preventative health.

DHA mobile and TRICARE-related apps available including:

Mental health
• Breathe2Relax: A portable stress management tool that provides detailed information about the effects of stress on the body. It offers exercises to help with stress management, mood stabilization and anxiety management.

• Tactical Breather: This app can be used to gain control over physiological and psychological responses to stress.

• PTSD Coach: Provides assistance to service members experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

• Virtual Hope Box: Includes simple tools to help users with coping, relaxation, distraction and positive thinking using personalized audio, video, images, games, mindfulness exercises, activity planning, inspirational quotes and coping statements.

Patient safety
• Pain and Opioid Safety: This app is intended for recording and measuring a person’s pain and providing information about opioids.

• Medication Adherence: Supports healthcare providers and patients in ensuring compliance with prescribed medications.

Patient well-being and preparedness
• Mission Fit: This app offers a 12-week program of exercise routines, along with a library of more than 90 exercises and detailed instructions with video, images, and text.

• BioZen: This app can be linked to external sensors to provide users with live data on a range of biophysiological signals, including electroencephalogram, electromyography, galvanic skin response, electrocardiogram, respiratory rate and temperature.

Preventive aids
• QuitSTART: This can help if you are trying to quit smoking.

Women’s health
• Decide + Be Ready: A mobile app to guide servicewomen on the best options for contraception and family planning.

• Deployment Readiness Education for Service Women: Empowers women by providing a single point of contact for women’s health concerns before, during and after deployment.

Pediatric Transition Health
• Child to Adult Transition: The app is designed to provide resources and information for youth transitioning from pediatric to adult care.

Medical information and awareness
• Immunization Toolkit: The Immunization Toolkit app provides practical reference information on immunization for MHS beneficiaries and providers.

• Internal Medicine: The app allows patients, visitors and staff to quickly access information such as pharmacy wait times, an overview of facilities and quick reference information from their mobile phone.

• DHA MedCard: Allows DHA pharmacies to capture and verify third-party payer validation dates for DOD beneficiaries. Also provides users with a way to record other information about themselves and family members that may be helpful when interacting with a pharmacist.

• TRICARE Support Contractor Apps: The page contains TRICARE-provided patient resource apps.

Tools for healthcare providers and medical facilities
• Warfighter Brain Health Provider Toolkit: App for MHS providers, includes an automated MACE 2 and is a resource center for various brain health topics.

• Antimicrobial Stewardship: The Antimicrobial Stewardship app contains a range of information for providers about microbes and drug effectiveness by region.

• DHA Pediatrics: Contains information for pediatricians at various military hospitals and clinics. This password-protected app contains a host of provider resources all in one place for quick access.

• Caregiver Resilience: Caregiver Resilience provides caregivers with the tools to protect against burnout and compassion fatigue while helping service members, retirees, and qualified family members.

• Although not a mobile app, MHS GENESIS is the Military Health System’s modern electronic health record that provides service members, veterans and their families with 24/7 access to health information, scheduling appointments, filling prescriptions and exchanging messages with their care team. The MHS GENESIS Patient Portal can be accessed on any internet-connected device at: myaccess.dmdc.osd.mil.