Fitness, weight management, diet and nutrition, and even condition-specific apps (e.g. diabetes management) are popular and on the rise, helping Canadians to become better informed and proactive about their health.

Mobile and tablet devices are not only changing the way we monitor our health, but also the way doctors approach healthcare and treatment. There are a host of apps that enable physicians to review prescribing protocols and information, perform medical calculations, and find medical studies and developments.

One of the unique apps we discovered is The Rounds, a Canadian network that helps Royal College registered physicians engage with each other other on subjects such as patient care and cases, research, and tips on running a practice.

I was surprised to learn that Canadian physicians search Google for medical information around eight times a day. The Rounds can help doctors communicate and engage with their peers, and feel confident with the information they receive. It’s a chance to collaborate on complicated cases and get input from other doctors across the country. A doctor in Nova Scotia, for example, can now share his/her experiences with various treatments with a doctor in British Columbia. Physicians can also exchange creative and innovative aspects of their practice.

An app like this could certainly be used in other medical fields as well. Occupational therapists, for example, are often required to be innovative and resourceful in assisting their clients. A tool like The Rounds could help them share ideas and practices.

As long as health care providers aren’t spending more time with their phone than their patients, apps like this one can be excellent communication tools and resources.

Source: fullduplex.ca