More than one-third of respondents in a Harris Interactive/Health Day poll said they wanted to be able to use their smartphone or tablet to communicate with physicians, make appointments or get test results.
The results came from an online survey of 2,050 Americans aged 18 and over.
Despite the apparent demand for apps that provide mobile communication with physicians, researchers note that such apps will most likely not be on the market in the near future because they would require physicians' offices to have compatible technology.
"This poll shows us that the public is interested in using these apps," said Titus Schleyer, the director of the Center for Biomedical Informatics at the Regenstrief Institute, in a news release. "But the healthcare system has to make it easier for them to do it."
More Articles on Health Apps:
Report: 19 Percent of Smartphone Users Have Health App
Study: Most Common Conditions Have Fewer Clinical Apps
HHS Seeks Comments on Regulatory Framework for Health IT, mHealth Apps