December Appy Hour Education Recap

On Wednesday, December 16, Appy Hour Education attendees learned about Apple’s ResearchKit. ResearchKit is an open source software framework for researchers to create new apps for their research projects. The apps can reach a broader audience and engage more patients in health studies. Patients can learn about the study, sign consent forms, and participant in the study all on their mobile device.

There are three available components in the framework: informed consent, active tasks, and survey. These components can be tailored to the research team’s needs or other components can be developed and shared through the ResearchKit platform. Active tasks utilize mobile device sensors, such as movement and speech.

A few highlights from the Q&A session:

Institutional Review Board process remains the same as before, but the data collection happens on the patients’ mobile device. This change alleviates some headaches from paper-based surveys, low response rates, and mass mailings. Additionally, data collection can be more frequent.
The data must be transferred to the university research team (included in the app code). Other researchers use university tools, such as Qualtrics, to secure, collect, and analyze the data.
Advertising the research study is similar to other studies. Since it is an app though, the research study can be discovered in the Apple App Store and though Apple promotion venues (talks, announcements, etc.).
ResearchKit can connect to HealthKit. HealthKit aggregates all data from health and fitness services and apps.
If you create an app using ResearchKit, Apple requires that at least one resulting publication be in an open access journal, the app is freely available, the app does not contain advertising, affiliates do not receive financial gains from the app, and a few other guidelines.

Links for ResearchKit, HealthKit, and Health app:

ResearchKit links: http://www.apple.com/researchkit/ and http://researchkit.org
ResearchKit apps: http://appstore.com/ResearchKit
HealthKit: https://developer.apple.com/healthkit/
HealthKit enabled apps: appstore.com/health
Health app: http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/health/

Tools and Apps for Health Sciences

iTunes U Courses (iPad)

Content organization and distribution platform. iTunes U can be utilized to share content with students in the classroom or in continuing education courses.
Examples:
- Johns Hopkins and CDC: Ebola Preparedness: PPE guidelines. Interactive training program for healthcare providers. Videos in the course can be downloaded and available offline https://itunes.apple.com/us/course/ebola-preparedness-ppe-guidelines/id937165537
- University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, iPads in the Clerkships https://itunes.apple.com/us/course/ipads-in-the-clerkships/id536328821
http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/itunes-u/

MultiTouch Books (iBooks app)

Interactive multi-touch books can include video, audio, links, interactive 3-D models, photo galleries, etc.
iBooks are created with a free software on Mac – iBooks Author. This software is available the Eccles Library’s Mac Lab on the Upper Level.
Examples:
- S. Raju MD: Colon Cancer Prevention and Screening, MD Anderson Cancer Center https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/colon-cancer/id603365489?mt=11
- iOS in Healthcare – Learn how iPad and apps are changing the ways clinicians work https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ios-in-healthcare/id902062022?mt=11
http://www.apple.com/ibooks/

Read by QxMD: Personalized Medical & Scientific Journal

Discover and read medical and research literature within the app (Apple & Android) or web-based platform; includes highlighting and note capabilities
http://www.qxmd.com/apps/read-by-qxmd-app

Eye Decide Point of Care Patient Education for Healthcare Professionals by Orca Health

Interact with eye and conditions of the eye using 3D models. This is a great tool for discussing eye conditions or structures with students and patients.
More: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/eye-decide-patient-engagement/id454280553?mt=8

Essential Anatomy 5