Evaluating and selecting mobile health apps: strategies for healthcare providers and healthcare organizations

A healthcare social media research article published in Translational Behavioral Medicine, September 23, 2014

Title
Evaluating and selecting mobile health apps: strategies for healthcare providers and healthcare organizations
Authors (alpha)
Edwin D Boudreaux, Molly E. Waring, Rajani S Sadasivam, Rashelle B Hayes, Sean Mullen, Sherry Pagoto
Published
September 23, 2014
Journal
Translational Behavioral Medicine
Impact Factor
2.189
DOI
10.1007/s13142-014-0293-9
Pubmed
25584085
Altmetric
A healthcare social media research article published in Translational Behavioral Medicine, September 23, 2014

Abstract

Mobile applications (apps) to improve health are proliferating, but before healthcare providers or organizations can recommend an app to the patients they serve, they need to be confident the app will be user-friendly and helpful for the target disease or behavior. This paper summarizes seven strategies for evaluating and selecting health-related apps: (1) Review the scientific literature, (2) Search app clearinghouse websites, (3) Search app stores, (4) Review app descriptions, user ratings, and reviews, (5) Conduct a social media query within professional and, if available, patient networks, (6) Pilot the apps, and (7) Elicit feedback from patients. The paper concludes with an illustrative case example. Because of the enormous range of quality among apps, strategies for evaluating them will be necessary for adoption to occur in a way that aligns with core values in healthcare, such as the Hippocratic principles of nonmaleficence and beneficence.

Altmetric

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