News Release

Mayo Clinic introduces 2 consumer mobile applications

Symptom checker and meditation apps offer Mayo’s health and wellness expertise anywhere, anytime

Business Announcement

Mayo Clinic

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Mayo Clinic is launching two research-based consumer applications (apps) for iPhone and iPod Touch this quarter, the first in a variety of mobile health products and services supporting the goal of making Mayo's expertise available to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Mayo Clinic Symptom Checker, which launches today, provides users with focused, useful and actionable information from Mayo Clinic experts. User research dictated the simple, less-is-more nature of both the app design and its content. The free app features an adult and child symptom checker optimized for the mobile experience. It is designed to help people manage acute problems and provides guidance on practicing self-care at home, as well as insights into when additional care is needed. Mayo Clinic Symptom Checker also enables users to search MayoClinic.com for more information about thousands of health topics, and provides access to information about care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo's approach was to apply user research to guide the first release and then get it into the hands of users as soon as possible. Feedback from users will guide the priorities for future releases. For a demonstration, go to Mayo Clinic News Blog.

Another app, Mayo Clinic Meditation, launched in early January and provides a form of alternative medicine that focuses on the mind-body connection. The app, which is currently available for $2.99 on iTunes, is based on four years of research by Amit Sood, M.D., a physician in complementary and integrative medicine at Mayo, and has been clinically validated by Mayo Clinic. Mind-body techniques strengthen the communication between your mind and body.

Integrative medicine practitioners say these two systems must be in harmony for a person to stay healthy. The easy-to-use app can be practiced in the home, office or any quiet place.

While these first two applications are for consumers, Mayo Clinic envisions developing meaningful mobile health offerings for audiences that include patients, consumers, corporate clients, medical professionals, and academia. Some mobile products and services will be designed for use before, during, and after care at Mayo Clinic. Others will provide mobile enhancements and expanded distribution for Mayo Clinic's many existing products and services. Ultimately, Mayo's mobile health strategy will be a mix of native and mobile Web applications available across a variety of handsets and platforms.

"We are diligently focused on understanding the intricacies of a mobile platform and the needs and desires of users," says Scott Eising, director of Advanced Market/Product Development at Mayo Clinic. "We intend to pair our expertise in health care with our growing understanding of the mobile world to develop products and services that are optimized for the mobile audience."

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VIDEO ALERT: Additional audio and video resources, including comments by Dr. Sood and Scott Eising, are available on the Mayo Clinic News Blog.

For more information on Mayo Clinic's mobile health applications, visit Mayo Clinic News Blog.

About Mayo Clinic

For more than 100 years, millions of people from all walks of life have found answers at Mayo Clinic. These patients tell us they leave Mayo Clinic with peace of mind knowing they received care from the world's leading experts. Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. At Mayo Clinic, a team of specialists is assembled to take the time to listen, understand and care for patients' health issues and concerns. These teams draw from more than 3,700 physicians and scientists and 50,100 allied staff that work at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Minnesota, Florida, and Arizona; and community-based providers in more than 70 locations in southern Minnesota, western Wisconsin and northeast Iowa. These locations treat more than half a million people each year. To best serve patients, Mayo Clinic works with many insurance companies, does not require a physician referral in most cases and is an in-network provider for millions of people. To obtain the latest news releases from Mayo Clinic, go to www.mayoclinic.org/news. For information about research and education, visit www.mayo.edu. MayoClinic.com (www.mayoclinic.com) is available as a resource for your general health information.


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