KRS Website: Mobile Apps & Resources: Human Dx

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To keep you updated on the go, our ‘app of the month’ highlights one free informational app every month!

Past Features

Librarian reviewers consider the audience and purpose of the apps, as well as highlighting additional features:

In the ‘Evidence’ section, we assess how easily an app user can identify the app’s currency and support from the evidence
In the ‘Usability’ section, we assess the organization of information and other usability factors that may contribute to user experience

Our complete grading criteria for evidence and usability are embedded in the review.

Please note that the reviewers are not healthcare professionals, and so cannot appraise the quality of any recommendations within the app. The reviews are not endorsements.

View the AHS policy on Mobile Wireless Devices and Services.

Human Dx

Version reviewed	Android 3.17.7 (BHS) iOS version 3.17.7 (MV)
Device & OS used	Motorola E4 Android 7.1.1 (BHS) iPad 13.2.3 (MV)
Date of review	November 25, 2019 (BHS) November 26, 2019 (MV)
Reviewers	Brianna Howell-Spooner (BHS) & Marcus Vaska (MV)
Technician Support	Brandie Bailey

Complete Evaluation

Image Source: Human Dx, Apple App Store. Retrieved on December 18, 2019 from: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/human-dx/id1032495132

Stated Purpose

“The Human Diagnosis Project (also referred to as “Human Dx” or “the Project”) is a worldwide effort, created with and led by the global medical community, to build an open intelligence system that maps the steps to help any patient. By combining the collective intelligence of medical professionals and trainees with machine learning, Human Dx intends to enable more accurate, affordable, and accessible care for all. The Project’s creation and development has been inspired by other civilization-scale scientific projects (e.g., the International Space Station, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, and the Human Genome Project) and open technology efforts (e.g., Wikipedia, Linux, and the Internet Protocol Suite)” (Human Dx home page, https://www.humandx.org/)

“The Human Diagnosis Project (Human Dx) enables medical professionals and trainees everywhere to collaborate on clinical puzzles to learn and help society. Join a global community dedicated to ending unequal access to medical knowledge.” (Google Play Listing: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.humandx.cases&hl=en_CA

What is unique about this app is that it functions as a differential diagnosis platform – whenever a user works through a case study, his/her diagnosis is captured by the Human Dx system to enhance a patient’s care. The app was recommended by a paramedic working in Alberta Health Services (AHS), where Human Dx is already being used.

Features

Users can tag various entries and assign them to various needs in the point-of-care process. Users can also add sections to their favorites for later reference. There is also a Recent feature that saves the previous entries visited in earlier usage. The content is also searchable by keyword.

Screenshots

Specialties/Disciplines

A specialty must be chosen from a provided list and there is no option for “Other”. You cannot proceed without choosing a specialty in the Specialties list when you sign up (see Complete Evaluation for the complete listings).

Profession is divided into two areas: clinical role and training level and each have a provided list to choose from (see Complete Evaluation for the complete listings).

Notes

None

Part 1: Editorial committee, content updates, and evidence grading

Human Dx functions as a clinical decisions training tool, presenting a series of patient case scenarios, which, based on the evidence provided, leads the user to suggest a diagnosis (the correct diagnosis is revealed once all of the findings have been presented and a diagnosis is made. Scoring is out of 65 (30 points for accuracy, 30 points for effectiveness, and 5 points for completion).

Part 2: Source and authorship information for 3 entries

Cases are well laid out and the authors are affiliated with known or easily findable medical establishments.

This app is a clinical decision training tool, presenting real-life cases, complete with a wide range of findings (including symptoms, medical history, imaging, lab, and other diagnostic results). This app will be particularly useful to medical students and healthcare professionals to check their diagnostic hypotheses with that of medical experts. Once a diagnosis has been submitted, the current answer becomes available, however users are invited to challenge the official diagnosis and correspond with other users in a community forum setting.

Complete Evaluation

Organization of information

All cases are peer-reviewed from a wide range of clinical domains. Each case study is presented as a standalone entity, with findings relayed individually. This format is intuitive.

Navigation

Going to menu to view profile, progress and notifications: menu button is at the top and simple to navigate to and out of
Going between cases, skipping cases or sharing your results: buttons are well labeled

Jumping between instructions, comments or teaching notes: back and forth buttons

Extras

User Account required: Yes

Internet connection required for use: Yes - Continuous Internet connection is required as cases are generated randomly, and certain cases have more components (i.e. imaging, etc.) than others that can take up considerable bandwidth

Text search field: No

Browsable content:Yes

Advertisements: No

Pop-up advertisements: No

In-app purchases: No