Introduction
Healthy diets are crucial for human well-being and avoidance of medical conditions that can exacerbate diseases. Allergic people and patients under special care need food consistent with their conditions. However, it can be difficult for a patient to choose the right food, especially without a medical practitioner such as a nutritionist.
Although physicians may give dietary prescriptions to their patients, choosing the food type that matches their specific diets can be problematic. ScanAvert is a mobile application that allows patients to buy food that matches their medical conditions and dietary requirements. Therefore, the application can help solve the problem of consuming unwanted ingredients that may exacerbate health problems.
Healthcare Challenge and Gap Identification
Need of a Right Diet
Eating a well-balanced diet can benefit patients and those who are allergic. The food provides the energy needed to keep the body active throughout the day. Additionally, the human body needs nutrients that help repair worn-out tissues. Furthermore, a balanced diet is important for preventing diet-related illnesses such as cancer and allergic reactions. Patients have a different nutritional requirements from those who are healthy. For instance, HIV/AIDS patients need energy-giving foods that boost their immune systems. The differences in nutritional requirements among patients make it necessary to have a specific dietary prescription.
Problems in Choosing the Diet
Technological advancements and the agrarian revolution have led to the manufacturing of foods with different nutritional values. The emergence of liberalism and capitalism has increased the production of foods that lack the right nutrients to fit consumers. Consequently, many consumers end up buying foods that do not fit their healthy status. Unlike physicians and other nutritional specialists, consumers have difficulty choosing the right food with healthy diets. Consequently, there are increased cases of health-related conditions such as cancer and obesity. Conditions such as obesity are associated with fatal medical illnesses such as heart attacks and hypertension.Eating an inappropriate diet can lead to medical conditions which are detrimental to growth and development.
Effects of a Restricted Diet
Eating undesired diets can have more than just medical implications for consumers. Increased expenditure on healthcare services is one of the extreme impacts of consuming foods that are unfit for individual health. Managing and treating medical conditions such as obesity and consequent heart attacks is expensive. The patients need specialized care from healthcare providers, which may be expensive. Moreover, conditions such as diabetes cannot be treated but managed. Therefore, diabetic individuals would need continuous condition management intervention, which has long-term financial implications.
Opportunity Identified
The problems associated with choosing foods with low nutritional value have long-term financial and medical effects. Although nutritionists can help overcome these problems, their services are expensive, especially for patients in need of continuous intervention. Technological advancements in the area of artificial intelligence and mobile application development have least been used to solve the problem. Many individuals would opt for cheaper alternatives to choose healthy foods. Therefore, maximizing the availability of modern technology to solve the problem can be lucrative and beneficial for human well-being.
Addressing the Problem: ScanAvert Application
Functionality
ScanAvert is a wireless mobile application that runs on Android mobile devices. The application alerts users before they eat food that they are allergic to and that may interfere with their drug prescription. Users set up their profiles by filling in their dietary details and information such as weight. Moreover, the users enter the dietary restrictions as prescribed by the doctors or according to the medical prescription. Upon setting up the profile successfully, the users can scan bar codes on the foods they buy. If food is restricted, the application alerts the users to avoid it. Figures 1.0 and 2.0 show the functionality of ScanAvert.
The use of a barcode system to scan food products presents various limitations to the use of ScanAvert. Various supermarkets use different barcodes on their items, making it difficult to have a unified database. Therefore, when a supermarket with different product barcodes intends to encourage its customers to use ScanAvert, system changes must be made. The changes can make it difficult to maintain the application due to different versions. ScanAvert can only operate on standard items’ barcode systems, limiting its use in various supermarkets.
Beneficiaries of the Application
ScanAvert can be used by anyone interested in managing their diet for health reasons. Allergic and ingredient-sensitive individuals can use the application to avoid food that contains allergens. Illnesses such as Celiac disease and diabetes require food with manageable amounts of sugar. Consequently, the application is crucial for disease management by diabetics and people suffering from other types of illnesses. Moreover, people who follow specific diets for personal benefits, such as keeping fit, can benefit from ScanAvert. Therefore, ScanAvert is beneficial to any person to manage their diet for personal and medical reasons.
Measuring ScanAvert Success
The application serves a broad range of individuals with medical and other health-related problems. Therefore, measuring its success can be done in various ways. The number of continuous users of the application can help tell whether it is benefiting them or not. Continuous application use and subscription indicate its positive impacts. Additionally, the average application rating can help determine its success. An average rate of four to five stars shows that the application is beneficial. Furthermore, tracking user testimonials through reviews informs the success of the application in helping the users.
ScanAvert Sustainability
Application Funding
Developing and maintaining an application can be financially straining. ScanAvert development and maintenance need mobile application developers, computer scientists, and software engineers, among others. The application funding comes from the organizations that promote its development. Some of the promoting organizations include healthcare organizations and supermarkets that are interested in promoting consumer wellness. Another source of the application funding is the user’s routine subscriptions. Funding for ScanAvert is a continuous process since it requires routine updates to remain compatible with mobile operating systems.
Application Maintenance
ScanAvert utilizes users’ data and information to give warnings on restricted foods. Additionally, the application uses data on various products that have barcodes. The application needs consistent maintenance to ensure that users do not encounter system errors. Perfective maintenance helps the application to effectively respond to changing user expectations and requirements. Meanwhile, corrective maintenance involves fixing residual bugs and other errors related to coding. Users are required to update the application frequently upon maintenance changes. ScanAvert improves its performance and outcome upon routine application system maintenance.
Sales Model and Data Monetization
ScanAvert is beneficial to its users since it saves them from medical complications and financial losses. Moreover, the use of the application by supermarkets is significant because it helps maintain a loyal consumer base. Therefore, the application has adopted a sales model that allows users to pay for repeat subscriptions. The monetization system, through user subscription, promotes the application’s financial sustainability. The application can also allow other healthcare organizations to run ads on the platforms. In return, the organizations pay for the marketing fees. The sales model and data monetization allow ScanAvert to remain profitable as the number of users increases.
Engaging Developers and Designers
Developers and designers play a significant role in ensuring that the application remains effective and attractive to the users. The developers are engaged on a routine basis to help in system maintenance. Meanwhile, the designers are engaged when there is a need to change the system outlook, including the user interface. The users are allowed to suggest their desired system changes, which are considered by the designers and developers. The designers and developers engage with each other anytime the application failure is detected or observed. Routine engagement with the developers and designers makes ScanAvert effective for its users.
Conclusion
Food choices can determine the health of an individual, especially the sick. Allergic people need to be careful when buying food to avoid those that can exacerbate their conditions. Although there has been rapid integration of technology into the healthcare system, applications that enhance dietary choices are less explored. ScanAvert is a mobile application that can help individuals make informed food choices based on their medical needs and personal desires. The application allows users to set up their profiles and scan foods purchased to match their dietary needs. ScanAvert helps avoid medical and financial problems associated with poor food choices at supermarkets.
References
Dolan B. ScanAvert to aid drug efficacy, avoid food allergies. MobiHealthNews. 2009. Web.
ScanAvert. About ScanAvert, Inc. – ScanAvert.com – Detection and Alarm Against Ingredient Harm. Published 2014. Web.
Pai A. Scan Avert. MobiHealthNews. Published 2015. Web.