Based on experience from connected health programs at Harvard Medical School-affiliated teaching hospitals, including Massachusetts General Hospital, the overwhelming majority of consumers report that feeling informed about their health is empowering, yet most have never used a health tracking device, app, or website.
Wellocracy a clinically-based source of easy to understand information on new personal self-health technologies including health and fitness trackers and mobile apps was launched at the 10th Annual Partners Connected Health Symposium held October 24-24 in Boston.
As Joseph C. Kvedar, MD Founder and Director, for the Center for Connected Health told the Symposium attendees, “There is a huge void in the market today. Today even though easy-to- use, accurate and effective health and wellness trackers are readily available, most consumers are not using them. Wellocracy helps to fill that void and helps individuals select the right health technology best suited to their preferences and goals and then be able to figure out the personal motivation that will keep them on track to best manage their health.”
With the release of Wellocracy, it is now possible for consumers at www.wellocracy.com to find guidance from leading clinicians and unbiased opinions on personal health technologies. Also, Wellocracy applies behavioral science to help individuals find the specific motivation that will inspire them to stay on track to achieve health and wellness goals.
Today, 48% of Americans report that it is hard to stay motivated to live a healthy life, and only 22 % are very confident in their ability to keep track of their own health according to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Wellocracy.
The survey revealed other statistics:
- 86% believe that feeling of being informed about their own health is empowering
- 59% of women and 56% of men aged 35-44 reported that it is hard to stay motivated to live a health live, and about half wished they could make better use of technology to track their health
- 55% of women and 49% of men aged 18-44 believe that easy tracking including physical activity, calories, and sleep is essential to achieving health-related goals
- Only 19% of women and 17% of men aged 35-44 and 25% of women and 21% of men aged 55 are very confident in their ability to track their own health
- Younger adults aged 18-34 were most likely to use diet or fitness apps on their phones, but only 7% of adults aged 55 and over reported ever using a diet app with only 3% using a fitness app on their phone
Kvedar said “Wellocracy is focused on inspiring and empowering individuals to self-manage their health and wellness by providing up-to-date information and expert guidance and innovative ideas to help people get the most out of personal health technologies. The goal of the web site is to help individuals figure out the right health technologies to use, the right strategy, and the right inspiration to follow the right track to health and wellness.”