Assessment framework for mHealth apps

Mobile health technology has been widely adopted in many countries worldwide and is expected to continue growing. Estimates on the number of available mobile health applications (mHealth apps) range from 54,000 to over 350,000. ^[1]

This makes it hard for consumers to choose credible mHealth apps and for healthcare professionals to make informed choices when recommending mHealth apps to their patients.

To address these challenges, the Australian Digital Health Agency progressed work on a national mHealth app assessment process to cover the broad range of apps on the market.

Development and usage

The Assessment Framework for mHealth Apps is the result of extensive consultation (domestically and internationally). It is published here as national guidance and a useful reference tool for app developers working on mHealth apps for release in Australia. 

While the framework provides a solid basis for further research and analysis, future consultation is needed on when and how it would be implemented.

Jurisdictions, other healthcare providers, clinical societies and NGOs supporting patients and their carers are encouraged to collate their experiences with use and validation of the framework, to inform any future consultation.

Download

Download the Assessment framework for mHealth apps SUMMARY (PDF, 1.82 MB)

Download the Assessment framework for mHealth apps (PDF, 2.64 MB)

Support

For questions about the framework, contact [email protected].

Licence to use

The framework is available for use under a Creative Commons (CC) licence. Ownership must be attributed to the Australian Digital Health Agency and the framework must not be altered or used for commercial purposes.

References

^[1] IQVIA Institute (2021) Digital Health Trends: Innovation, Evidence, Regulation, and Adoption, accessed 9 June 2022.