Millions of Americans currently suffer from depression. Many of them seek out treatment and see psychiatrists, but it can be challenging for them to recount their moods and experiences they have had between visits.
For that reason, a team from University of Missouri, Missouri University of Science and Technology and the Tiger Institute for Health Innovation have created a smartphone application that allows patients to input information, almost like a digital diary, and then share that with their psychiatrist.
“Some patients keep a mood diary during their treatment, which can be helpful in assessing their well-being,” said Ganesh Gopalakrishna, M.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry at the MU School of Medicine and a psychiatrist at MU Health Care, according to EurekAlert. “But I thought that there must be a better way to record moods and activity. That led to the development of the MoodTrek app, which allows patients to log their moods, sleep patterns and activity levels between appointments. People tend to forget what their moods were like just a few days ago, but through this app, I can now see that data and can use it to provide the best care possible.”
This app not only helps patients better understand their differences in mood and behavior, but it allows their psychiatrist to be able to treat them more efficiently.
MoodTrek is a free app that monitors sleep, exercise and mood levels. The app can be synced up to a Fitbit and the information is then sent to their provider. If a patient is seen by a provider who uses a Cerner-developed electronic medical record, the information is uploaded instantaneously.
“I update my mood at least once a day,” Kody Ihnat, a mathematics and physics student at the University of Missouri said, according to EurekAlert. “It forces you to take time for self-analysis and really reflect to find out why you’re feeling the way you do. My family is very much comforted by the fact that I have something in my pocket that is looking out for me and allows me to be in touch with my doctor.”
MoodTrek is currently available on Android devices and is planned to be available with iOS in the near future.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
