How Apps Can Help People Manage Chronic Illnesses

THE HARDEST PART about having a chronic illness is its key characteristic: it’s lifelong. By definition, these illnesses are incurable. Daily, patients attempt to sleuth the cause of flares, determine what might bring relief, and hurdle obstacles to wellness, such as puzzling and debilitating symptoms, a lack of credible information, confusing medical regimens, and difficulty securing doctor appointments.

And while patients often feel isolated, they’re not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that six in 10 adults in the United States suffer from a chronic illness, while four in 10 have two or...