myHIN Blog

December 17, 2012

Your Health: Mobile

Find me someone who is not carrying a smartphone and I’d give you a buck. Find someone who is as attached to their health as they are to their phone, then I’d give you 100 bucks. Through the use of a MyHealthImpactNetwork App, our team plans to convert the way we use our smartphones, and have the masses being as health-conscious as they are Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter-conscious.

I am working on developing the prototype version on the Android Platform. With over 1.3 million Android devices activated daily, and over 480 million users, the MyHealthImpactNetwork has a large group to connect. Additionally, the Google-based Android platform features a variety of native services which feature functionality similar to what is hosted on the MyHealthImpactNetwork website. Features, such as Google Maps, can be used to locate health centers in a user’s local area, or other health-related locales while on the go.

Thus far, the biggest challenge with developing the MyHealthImpactNetwork App has been in ensuring reusability. To this effect, I am researching different manners which will optimize the App for a mobile experience, and offer particular incentives that will separate the App from an experience too similar to the MyHealthImpactNetwork website. And while we’re starting with development for Android, we will eventually begin development of the app for other mobile platforms, such as iOS.

Working with Dr. Payton and the team has been a tremendously enlightening experience. The project shoves a direct spotlight on maintaining health, which isn’t typically on the forefront of a college student’s mind. Through this project, I’ve learned about preventative measures to maintain my health, and the common consequences associated with a less than responsible lifestyle. Hopefully through the implementation of the MHIN Android App and forthcoming iOS App, we will be able to expand the influence of the MyHealthImpactNetwork, and ensure that more people will utilize their resources to stay on top of their health.