Minding Your Health, Digitally

[box type="shadow" align="aligncenter" ]Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Aetna Foundation.[/box] You know I'm all about technology. Not just because I pink puffy hear you guys and technology is what brought us together. It generally makes my life easier.

I was recently super impressed when I went to my pediatrician's office and saw the nurses and doctor with a tablet, taking all information digitally. Of course, I asked about it. This was taking a little getting used to, said the pediatrician. But it's the way to go.

I felt the effects of it immediately. A couple of clicks and my prescription was at the local pharmacy which meant I wouldn't have to drop off and head back later for pick up. When you have a sick child and especially when it would mean having to pack her back up in the car to drive back to grab meds, that convenience seems like a God send.

More than that, having this new system in place meant that I had to carry ZERO paperwork from the ENT, to the hospital, to my pediatrician and back when my girl had her tonsillectomy. And then I had access to all kinds of information from the hospital system. Appointments, access to contact the doctor's office electronically, it was great. It's one of those things that we don't think about but once we have it we can appreciate the value.

I think this trend will continue. And I'm glad that the Aetna Foundation’s Digital Health Initiative supports the use of digital health technology among vulnerable and minority populations and addresses public health concerns.

Check out this infographic:

The more accessible the information, the more we will use it, in my opinion. Out of sight, out of mind is definitely applicable to our health. I think that having access to this information will translate to us taking better care of ourselves.

But how is this all going to happen especially in underrepresented populations? Well, the Aetna Foundation announced more than $1.2 million in grants to support the use of digital health technology. This includes mobile health and is targeted to minority populations.

These grants are part of a larger $4 million, three-year digital health commitment from the Aetna Foundation for the implementation and evaluation of technology innovations to help address public health concerns.

I think this can change so much. We see it day to day but maybe don't think about it as digital health. Tracking our workouts, what we eat, etc. Technology is affecting how we take care of ourselves. In a good way. It's that extra motivator because it gives you a sense of accountability even if you are doing things on your own.

I think digital health technology opens the door to more health education which in turn will point us the tools to stay healthy. We have information in the palm of our hands, literally.

Obviously, I'm all in with this. Email, text, mobile tracking, etc. But the beauty is that you can start from whatever your comfort level allows.

Do you use digital health technology? If you don't, do you see yourself using it in the future? And if you do, are you finding more ways to use it?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Aetna Foundation.