IMS Health, a leading provider of information, services and technology for the healthcare industry across the globe, has  collaborated with Ford Motor Company for launching an enhanced Allergy Alert smartphone application accessible on the Ford SYNC in-car mobile device connectivity system.

The system enabling drivers to obtain real-time, voice-activated information about local allergens to better manage their health condition. This marks the first in a series of IMS mobile applications that leverage advanced technologies to deliver real-time health and wellness information to consumers anytime, anywhere.

Through Allergy Alert’s pollen index rating, users can obtain details on the severity and types of allergens they are likely to encounter and that may aggravate personal allergy symptoms. The app also provides asthma, flu/cough/cold, and ultraviolet ray risk indexes nationwide. Allergy Alert is currently an iTunes Top 100 healthcare app with more than 100,000 downloads and six million uses since its release in April 2010. Android versions of the app will be available by the end of this year.

“The technology we’ve applied is the first of its kind for a healthcare-based smart phone application,” said Dan Barton, US head of product development, IMS. “Our research indicates significant demand for real-world information that can help people manage healthcare conditions for themselves or their families. Putting actionable information directly into consumers’ hands, whether on a PC, mobile device or integrated into a retail or institutional setting, addresses this need in today’s on-the-go society.”

IMS is uniquely able to integrate vast amounts of disparate data and provide access to timely, accurate information that ultimately can inform treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes.

The Ford SYNC version of Allergy Alert adds to IMS’s growing portfolio of consumer-centric healthcare services, including leading healthcare websites Pollen.com and Azma.com.

IMS Health draws on its global technology infrastructure and unique combination of in-depth, sophisticated analytics, on-shore and off-shore commercial services, and software platforms to help clients better understand the performance and dynamics of healthcare systems.