Information and support. Not diagnosis or treatment.
Northstar helps you understand and organize your health data. Every medical decision, every diagnosis, every treatment stays with you and your clinician. This page explains exactly what Northstar does and where it stops.
What Northstar does, and what it does not.
These are not fine-print disclaimers. They are the design. Northstar was built this way on purpose.
Information and organization, not diagnosis or treatment.
Northstar reads your lab results and vitals and reflects them back in plain English. It identifies patterns and helps you prepare for appointments. It does not tell you what condition you have, what is causing a result, or what treatment you need.
No medication, dosing, or supplement guidance.
Northstar will never suggest a dose, tell you to start or stop a medication, or recommend a supplement or treatment change. Those decisions belong to you and your care team, always.
Medical decisions always involve your clinician.
If something in your results concerns you, Northstar can help you put it into words and bring it to your next visit. Starting, stopping, or adjusting any treatment is a conversation for your doctor or nurse, not for an app.
Always honest about what it is.
Northstar is software. It never pretends to be a clinician, a nurse, or a medical authority. When it is uncertain about a value or context, it says so and encourages you to ask a professional.
When to seek care right away
If you or someone nearby has any of the following, stop and get help now. Do not wait for Northstar or any app.
- Chest pain or pressure, even if mild
- Trouble breathing or shortness of breath at rest
- Fainting or near-fainting
- Sudden weakness, numbness, or trouble speaking
- Severe or unusual bleeding
- Thoughts of harming yourself or others
In the US: call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Outside the US: use your local emergency number.
What happens when something sounds serious.
When Northstar notices a value or symptom that may need immediate attention, such as a very abnormal lab result or chest pain mentioned in a note, it does not try to interpret it or reassure you. It shows you a calm, clear prompt to seek care right away.
Northstar will never tell you that something serious sounds fine, or suggest waiting to see what happens. If there is any chance a value or symptom needs a professional, it says so clearly and directs you toward care.
If you enter a symptom that suggests a mental health crisis or thoughts of self-harm, Northstar shows a warm message with crisis line numbers and encourages you to reach out to someone who can help right now.
What you entered sounds like it may need a clinician’s attention today. Please contact your care team or, if this feels urgent, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Northstar cannot assess or handle this for you.
An example of the seek-care note shown in the app.
Your health data is encrypted.
Everything you enter is encrypted in transit and at rest. Northstar is not a medical device, but we treat your data with the same care you would expect from one. Read our security practices.
You own your data. Always.
Your health data belongs to you. You can export everything or delete your account at any time from Settings. Learn more about your data.
Questions about how Northstar works?
Our help center covers the most common questions, and our team is glad to hear from you.