July 13, 2012
Happtique, a mobile health application store and total app management solution, today announced the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for vendors who have the capability to test whether medical, health, and fitness apps meet certain operability, privacy, and security standards (“Technical Standards”). The Technical Standards, along with standards that focus on app content, are the foundation of an App Certification Program that Happtique is developing to help healthcare professionals, patients, and consumers identify apps that are both technically sound and substantively valid. Earlier this week, a draft of the certification standards was released for public comment.
The Certification Program, which Happtique expects to launch later this year, is a voluntary program for apps intended for use in the U.S. Under the program, an app owner or developer will submit an app for certification via an electronic submission form that will capture information about the app’s operability, privacy, and security features and content. The app will first undergo testing to determine its compliance with the Technical Standards. Apps that pass the Technical Standards assessment will proceed to content review by a professional from the relevant field or discipline. Other details about the App Certification Program process such as submission requirements, length of certification, re-certification requirements, and fees are currently under development.
“The Happtique App Certification Program will play a key role in enabling clinicians, patients, and other mHealth consumers to identify high-quality apps. Releasing the draft standards this week was an important first step in establishing this program. Happtique looks forward to partnering with organizations that have the ability to determine whether or not an app meets the program’s Technical Standards,” said Ben Chodor, Happtique’s CEO.
Proposals, which are due on Friday, August 17, 2012, may encompass any or all three components of the Technical Standards. Contracts will be awarded to one or more qualified vendors by late October.
The RFP is available at: www.happtique.com/app-certification/app-test-rfp.
About Happtique
Happtique is a mobile health application store and app management solution that helps healthcare providers, physicians, and patients easily integrate mHealth into treatment. It offers medical enterprises—like hospitals, continuing care facilities, and physician practices—the ability to create individually branded, secure, multi-platform application stores for staff and patient use. Happtique is a subsidiary of GNYHA Ventures, Inc., the business arm of the Greater New York Hospital Association.