Hula App Helps With STD Testing and Results

In an effort to test for and discuss results of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the new company Hula has launched an iPhone app that allows users to find testing centers, get their results online, then share that info with other users.

"Need a clinic open on Saturday? One that caters to your community? Comprehensive testing? We've got you covered," the Hula website says.

According to an article in the Examiner, the app's strength is that Hula provides evidence of partner's STD status that is much more convincing than a promise whispered in a bedroom.

According to the Hula website, users must first register a profile, and then get tested. In this respect, Hula -- formerly known as Qpid.me -- serves as a sort of Yelp for STD testing centers, offering results based on location and other criteria.

Once tested, users can request that their results through the app. Hula obtains these through a medical records request, which is sent to your healthcare provider and eventually uploaded to the app. Then you can use your profile to let sexual partners know your status.

"Employees are given access to the minimum necessary data to perform their jobs" and that they take "commercially reasonable measures to secure and protect your information," Hula's FAQ questions note. As with all things online, they "cannot and do not guarantee that all transmissions are or will be totally secure."

Users have total control over their privacy settings, so "no one will ever see your results unless you choose to share them." If you should test positive for an STD, "the first thing we do is disable sharing so that you're the only person who can see your results." It is unclear if Hula allows users to sort profiles by STIs.

The app may be useful for those who have a hard time talking about their STI status, but critics note that it is only as accurate as the user's last visit to the clinic.

For more information, visit https://www.hulahq.com/