These apps can save your life

Had she dismissed the numbness felt by her husband Bob in his right arm as mere fatigue, Melissa Ketterer might have lost him. Sensing he was unusually feeble at that time, Melissa reached for her smartphone and tapped on a health app called iTriage. She typed Bob's symptoms, and most of them came up as the red flags of a stroke. An urgent trip to the nearest hospital confirmed he was having one. Sharing her experience with CBS News, Melissa was very thankful with how the app allowed her to rush him to the ER just in time for doctors to dissolve a massive clot on his brain.

Image Source: mobilehealthnews.com

Besides an extensive list of symptoms for a range of medical conditions, iTriage uses a wealth of medical data at everyone's fingertips. Among its other remarkable features is its ability to hook up to the governments' GPS satellite system to determine the nearest clinics and facilities for any needed treatment.

The last few years saw the rise of mobile software tools and services that not only provide fun and entertainment, but also improve the quality of life. Many of them are designed to save people from dying during medical emergencies, disasters, or by suicide.

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The First Aid app developed for the American Red Cross provides videos and written guides on performing quick response measures for bleeding, fractures, allergies, and a host of other potentially debilitating and life-threatening situations using a streamlined and straightforward interface.

For people dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts, MY3 lends a hand not only through its lists of warning signs and coping strategies, but also through a mechanism that allows users to identify a network of close contacts who will serve as their lifelines when feeling blue has turned for the worse.

Image Source: doc2apps.com

On the other hand, an app called SaveMePro, written by a 12-year-old boy, allows users in danger to send a distress text when the power button is tapped eight consecutive times. An upgrade for 99 cents activates a GPS tracking service that can be used for up to 72 hours from the first distress signal.

With these and other apps, a simple tap can be all you need to get yourself and your loved ones out of harm's way.  

Technophile and entrepreneur Taihwa Terry Ho invests in apps and other mobile capabilities that promote safety and wellbeing. Subscribe to this blog for more information and insight on app development.