Whether you go on vacation once a year or you’re a frequent traveler criss-crossing the globe, you know that problems are going to pop up sometimes that can put a wrench in your best-laid plans. That flight with the easy connection gets delayed, a bad storm rolls in when you’re planning to be outdoors, or you sprain your ankle doing the same kind of walk you’ve done a thousand times.
Do you have a mobile app for that?
Photo by Allianz Partners
Just as life throws you a curveball when you’re home, the road can throw you one too. In another state or country though, you’re out of your element and you don’t have doctors you know saved in your contacts. If you’re in a place where English is not widely spoken, how do you even communicate a medical issue or understand the advice on what to do?
It’s best to anticipate the occasional mishap than to assume it’ll never happen to you. There are many factors that are beyond your control, even when we’re talking about health and safety, so having some of these mobile apps for health at your fingertips when you travel will go a long way toward issues that arise.
Allyz TravelSmart App
If you have a plan from Allianz Travel Insurance to cover unexpected, unforeseen events, it’s a given that you will want to have their Allyz TravelSmart app on your phone. It’ll give you access to your plan information and contact info for their 24/7 travel assistance. For some situations and plans, the app will even let you file a claim on as soon as a covered problem crops us, like if you flight is delayed or cancelled.
If you are not an Allianz customer, you can still use all the apps other functions, however, a lot of handy travel features like these:
– a hospital and emergency care locator for travelers.
– translation of common medical terms in 18 languages.
– the universal pharmaceutical names of common medications.
– flight tracker to be alerted about delays.
The app can help you find an English-speaking doctor and when that doesn’t work out, the app has a feature that will translate common medical terms
The Allyz TravelSmart app also shows destination-specific safety and security alerts, whether that’s a hurricane coming or some kind of civil unrest.
Photo by Allianz Partners
Translation Mobile Apps
If you need to communicate more than just medicine equivalents and vocabulary words in a remote village where nobody speaks your language, you might want to pull out your phone and start translating. These apps are not quite universal communicators yet, but they’re getting accurate enough for full conversations.
Google Translate is the best-known and it is relatively good at giving you the general idea of ingredients on a box or instructions on a pill bottle by pointing your camera at them. Many swear that Deepl is more accurate though in well-known languages like French and Spanish.
Telemedicine Apps
If you’re away from your regular doctor, one way to get medical care in your own language is remotely. You do a video call with a physician who can diagnose issues and prescribe medicine.
Some of these apps worth with your own insurance plan if you have one or you can just pay out of pocket as needed. This can work well for travelers who are far from home. Just keep those time zone differences in mind!
The largest options are Teledoc Health, MDLive, and Doctor on Demand.
Images by Doctor on Demand
If your issue is mental rather than physical, there are apps like Talkspace and Better Help that can provide virtual therapy sessions.
Cloud Service Mobile Apps for Docs and Pics
If you’re going away on vacation or for an extended period, you want to have every important document with you. This no longer means carrying around a binder full of paper, however. You can take scans or photos of what you need and upload them to a cloud storage provider.
By doing this, you always have your passport, driver’s license, vaccination card, prescriptions, and even photos of your pill bottles in your pocket at any time. You never have to worry that you left something you need back in the hotel room or at home.
The most popular services are run by Apple and Google and one is probably on your phone already. Others are available from Dropbox, Amazon Prime, and smaller names that may offer a better deal if you have a lot to store.
Don’t forget to put an “In Case of Emergency” contact on your phone to be prepared if you’re alone and have trouble, marked with that or “ICE.” If your phone requires unlocking to open it though, that won’t do much good if you’re incapacitated. You might have to go old-school and put it in your wallet where emergency medical personnel can find it.
Photo by Luxury Latin America
Other Mobile Health Apps to Consider for Travel
These aren’t the only types of mobile apps to consider for healthy travel. There are dozens of apps to monitor and track your fitness alone, including Fitbit and ones from Apple and Google. There are apps for meditation and sleep, apps to monitor diabetes, and even apps to connect you to medical marijuana dispensaries.
PocketRx is a pharmacy app that has a pill reminder function built in. If you’re going to be hiking or venturing into remote areas on an adventure, First Aid by the American Red Cross will show you how to actually use those things in your rescue kit. (They also make a version for pet care.)
Remember, problems crop up and accidents happen, no matter how in shape you are or how well you planned. The best way to keep the stress level down and have a trip go as smoothly as possible is to anticipate the potential problems and have a solution ready if they happen. With these kinds of health apps on your phone, you’ll travel with readiness and peace of mind.
This article on mobile apps for healthy travel is sponsored by our partner Allianz Global Assistance (AGA Service Company) and we have received financial compensation. However, I have purchased and recommended their annual plan for years and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
