Parkinson’s UK and Our Mobile Health have launched an apps and devices library to help people living with Parkinson’s manage their symptoms in response to increasing demand for trusted digital health tools.

Following an independent assessment process, six apps reviewed against ten key attribute areas, including interoperability, patient safety, and regulation, have been approved so far.

Recent figures indicate that two people are told every hour that they have Parkinson’s in the UK, with the number expected to rise by nearly a fifth by 2025, from around 145,000 people diagnosed in 2018 to 168,000, according to Parkinson’s UK. Globally, it is thought that as many as ten million people are living with the condition.

The initiative is being led on the charity's side by Emma Lawton, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 29.

“Parkinson’s UK’s helpline was increasingly being asked whether apps and devices, that people had seen or heard about, could help with their symptoms. We wanted to provide consistent advice on this area with real conviction, as Parkinson’s UK should have a strong voice in this rapidly growing area. That’s why we created the library, to help provide the right advice and guide people to apps and devices that are safe and effective to use,” Lawton, who is the Project Lead for Apps and Devices at Parkinson’s UK, said.

The six apps are: 

• Swallow Prompt - helping people that have difficulty in managing their saliva 
• Voice Analyst - providing support for users to help measure the volume and pitch of their voices
• Kindeo - allowing people to store important memories
• Pzziz - addressing sleep issues
• Cove - helping users express how they feel by creating music
• Beat Panic - offering support to help cope with panic attacks. 

“Using our rigorous independent health app review process we have been able to help identify potentially suitable health apps, thoroughly review them and identify those which can then be taken forward. The user testing and feedback from those living with Parkinson's has been invaluable as it has helped to further improve the quality of apps and digital health solutions targeted at those living with Parkinson's,” said Julie Bretland, Our Mobile Health founder and CEO.

The launch of the library follows a partnership announced in December 2017.

“Ultimately we want to see people being referred to the library alongside their medication," added Julie Dodd, Parkinson's UK Director of Digital Transformation and Communication. "And we hope that other charities will follow, to create a network of libraries that can benefit people living with many different conditions."

Twitter: @1Leontina
Contact the author: lpostelnicu@himss.org