CardioDock, which made its Hong Kong debut at last week's Hong Kong International Medical Devices and Supplies Fair in Wan Chai, connects with the free VitaDock App on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to measure blood pressure and pulse within seconds.

You can choose between taking one reading or the average of three for better accuracy. After each reading, you can key in additional information and notes concerning your activities or condition. All this is stored in a diary on your Apple device - no need for pen and paper - where you can review and track your data over a week, a month or a longer period in the form of a graph or Excel tables. You can also e-mail the data to yourself or your doctor.

'This allows you to work more efficiently with your doctor,' says Annelie Thomas, managing director of the Asia-Pacific arm of Medisana, the 30-year-old German company behind the CardioDock. 'It saves time because you don't need to go to the doctor so often. It saves costs for both the doctor and patient.'

CardioDock, which has been registered with and approved by European health authorities (hence approved for sale in Hong Kong, says Thomas) and Apple, was first launched in Europe in August. Three other products that also pair with the VitaDock App followed: ThermoDock, GlucoDock and TargetScale.

Response to the products at the three-day Medical Devices and Supplies Fair was overwhelming, says Alan Yeung, director of Market Force Hong Kong, the agent for VitaDock products in the city. 'Those who showed interest include private clinics, the Hospital Authority, the Housing Society, Baptist Hospital and elderly health care facilities,' he says.

The response indicates a growing realisation and acceptance of the valuable contribution mobile phones can make to health care. Many studies have looked into the efficacy of mobile health, including a recently published Cochrane Systematic Review by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, who found HIV patients were less likely to miss doses if they were sent mobile phone text message reminders.

Another study, published in the September issue of Diabetes Care, found that type-2 diabetes patients who used mobile health software and blood glucose meters to manage their condition lowered a key measure of blood sugar control by an average of 1.9 per cent over one year.

'Mobile health care solutions can slow the dramatic health care cost increases by allowing chronically ill patients to take their vital signs at home,' says Dr Pablo Mentzinis from Germany's Bitkom Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media.

The VitaDock app, which encourages health self-monitoring of up to four user accounts, is the central software for presenting and evaluating vital body and health values. The user interface is intuitive and easy to use.

ThermoDock gives contactless temperature readings using infrared technology: hold it 5cm from the centre of your forehead and get a reading in five seconds. It is about the same thickness and width as the iPhone, about 3cm long and weighs just 20 grams.

GlucoDock measures blood sugar for diabetes management. Smaller than a matchbox, it uses a proprietary test strip to absorb a drop of blood and produce a blood sugar reading in seconds. You can set your own target values to receive feedback with each measurement; the app also keeps track of your medication and food.

TargetScale supports weight management by analysing body composition - bone mass, body fat, body water, muscle mass and Body Mass Index - via bioelectrical impedance analysis (sending a low, safe electrical current through the body). The scale, which can be used without an Apple device, identifies you when you step on it, and allocates your avatar and memory.

Prices for the VitaDock products start at about HK$800 for the ThermoDock.

1.9%

Rate by which type-2 diabetes patients can lower a key measure of blood sugar control in a year with mobile software