New Alliance to Develop Guidelines for Evaluation of mHealth Apps

Four organizations recently announced they are forming a new, multistakeholder collaboration, Xcertia, dedicated to improving the quality, safety, and effectiveness of mobile health applications (mHealth apps). The initial supporters of the collaboration include the American Heart Association (AHA), the American Medical Association (AMA), DHX Group, and HIMSS.

As a nonprofit corporation, Xcertia will establish and promote best practices for mHealth apps. Xcertia's membership and governing board will be open to broad representation from consumers, developers, payers, clinicians, academia, and others with an interest in the development of guidelines for mHealth apps.

"The collaboration builds on each organization's ongoing efforts to foster safe, effective, and reputable health technologies, while complementing our mutual commitment to advancing innovation in medicine, and improving the health of the nation," says Xcertia's four founders. "Our combined expertise, along with a diverse membership, will leverage the insights of clinicians, patients, and industry experts to help improve patient care and increase access to data."

Xcertia will respond to the critical need for a comprehensive effort to develop a framework of principles that will positively impact the trajectory of the mHealth app industry. Xcertia's guidelines will also be a resource to support consumer and clinician choice of mHealth apps.

This collaborative effort will incorporate feedback from its members in a consensus-driven process to advance the body of knowledge around clinical content, usability, privacy and security, interoperability, and evidence of efficacy. Xcertia will not engage in certifying mHealth apps, but will encourage others to apply its principles and guidelines in the development and curation of safe and effective mHealth apps.

Xcertia invites other organizations in the patient, technology, and other health care communities to join the collaboration and add their expertise to the development of guidelines for mHealth apps. To join AHA, AMA, DHX Group, and HIMSS in this collaborative effort, go to the Xcertia website at www.xcertia.org for more details.

Source: American Medical Association