Cognitant Group to launch Healthinote app to combat misinformation
Cognitant Group has announced the launch of Healthinote, an app to provide users with up-to-date, verified medical and healthcare information to tackle misinformation.
The app will be accessible to patients, helping them to better understand their conditions, symptoms and treatment options without having to worry about “fake news” impacting their decision-making.
The free smartphone app uses innovative technology such as augmented and virtual reality to provide care to users. It will also feature specific, verified and reliable information regarding the ongoing situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, as anxieties and confusion surrounding the topic continue to grow.
Immersive 3D content is also available to patients to help improve understanding of symptoms and conditions. All content can be prescribed to patients by their healthcare professional at the point of care. The app also features a search function, favourites page and the ability to share information with other users. The ability to personalise the content is one of the key features of the app.
Cognitant has worked closely with the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK to compile a database of approximately 1,100 health articles from the official NHS website. These articles can be accessed for free by users. Content has also been developed for the app in partnership with organisations and universities, such as Bayer, Pfizer, UCB and The Health Foundation.
Dr Tim Ringrose, CEO of Cognitant Group, commented, “More then ever, it’s vital for us all to have access to information we can trust. We built Healthinote to improve the way patients receive important health information. Thanks to our key partners, the content and programmes offered on the platform will help us all to receive information we can rely on to protect and manage our health.”
The launch of the app seemingly can’t come soon enough, with misinformation never being so common. WhatsApp, a popular messaging service, has been forced to introduce limits on message forwarding to stop the spread of false information, whilst President Donald Trump suggested chloroquine could be a “total game-changer” before two U.S. citizens were hospitalised after using it.
This is before you begin to look at the conspiracies that 5G technology has caused the coronavirus, leading to the vandalism of a number of 5G masts around the world.
“More than ever, it’s vital for everyone to have access to trustworthy, up-to-date and verified health and medical information.” said Dr Tim Ringrose.