New COPD app is focus of pilot program

San Jose, Calif.-based LifeMap Solutions and researchers from New York’s Mount Sinai Health System have launched a pilot program to test the effectiveness of a new app for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The app, COPD Navigator, is an iPhone app that is part of Apple’s HealthKit designed to help those living with COPD monitor and manage their symptoms while tracking patient data such as medication and treatment adherence.

The pilot program will test the effectiveness of this app as the first component in a comprehensive disease management platform being developed by LifeMap that also will include Bluetooth-enabled inhaler technology and a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant dashboard for healthcare providers.

“COPD…is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and it affects an estimated 24 million Americans. But patients can slow the progression of the disease and improve quality of life through effective self management,” said Corey Bridges, CEO of LifeMap Solutions in a press release. “The promise of the mHealth revolution is to empower patients with self-management tools that are engaging and easy to use. COPD Navigator is the first product in our suite of chronic-condition apps, which fulfill that promise.”