WebMD Hops On The Health App Bandwagon

WebMD Healthy Target empowers individuals to create and sustain healthy habits.

WebMD has jumped on the mobile health app bandwagon with the launch of a new health portal that will wrap its physician-reviewed health information around biometric health data collected from all sorts of connected health devices. The new hub, called Healthy Target, is now one of the three main sections of its iPhone app.

Healthy Target will use an API to pull data from activity trackers, wireless scales, and glucose meters, and then add contextual content and motivational tips for people dealing with chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity, WebMD says. General consumers can also use it to develop sustainable health-conscious habits, according to the press release.

Healthy Target can translate step, sleep, weight, and blood glucose data from multiple well-known device manufacturers – including Entra, Fitbit, UP by Jawbone, and Withings – into “actionable insights” like “run in place for 10 minutes before bedtime.” Users can manually input their biometric data into Healthy Target or connect their devices.

The new hub has the ability to gather health data from a number of devices, though most people don’t use multiple health devices undermining the idea that WebMD’s portal will help by unifying information.

And the new portal also complicates the increasingly cluttered consumer health data picture. The company is essentially building its own portal within Apple’s existing ecosystem, while Apple itself is building a repository (HealthKit) that will be offering redundant services. Apple has contracted with Mayo Clinic for health data.

 “Consumers will appreciate the ease of incorporating their biometric data into our Healthy Target program and the health insights and recommendations offered to help them sustain a healthier life,” David Ziegler, WebMD’s director of product management, said in a prepared statement. “With more than 40 percent of consumers using mobile devices to access health information, the time is right for a mobile app that can help translate data into life-improving insights.”

WebMD Healthy Target features and functions include (from the press release):

• Goal Setting. users can choose from six goals that can be added or changed at any time: 1) lose weight 2) eat healthier 3) be more active 4) control blood sugar 5) sleep better 6) feel better. Then Healthy Target recommends proven habits that can help users reach them.
• Habit Intensity & Tracking. Each habit has three levels: easy, medium, and hard. Users start a new habit at the easy level (each habit lasting for one week), track their progress, and use reminders to help ensure they do their habits on a regular basis. They can change or restart their habits at any time. As they move further along the program, their healthy habits and wellness continue to grow.
• Data Understanding. Healthy Target incorporates easy-to-understand visuals so users can see changes in their sleep, step counts, weight, and blood sugar over time.
• Progress Report & Inspiration. In addition to daily snapshots that monitor progress, users get weekly recaps analyzing their success towards achieving their goals as determined by the data they provide. In addition to the assessment, users will receive personalized tips to encourage them to become more successful moving forward.