Secure app usage-Evaluation benchmarks for medical apps Quality aspects for health apps based on 9 key criteria

Smartphones and health apps are an integral part of everyday life. They are increasingly being used for medical purposes. However, there is no fundamental basis or consensus on the evidence on which decisions are made towards a unified digital strategy. Consequently, the understanding of the quality of health apps is only inconsistent and fuzzily defined. The 9 quality criteria presented by the Association of Medical Societies (AWMF)-transparency, appropriateness, risk appropriateness, ethical harmlessness, legal conformity, content validity, technical appropriateness, usability, resource efficiency-serve as a guide for individual and institutionalized quality assessment. The principles are based on a comprehensive compilation of existing (inter-) national standards and evaluation benchmarks. Analogously to usual medical practice, it is also obligatory to conduct one's own research for a suitable app and to weigh up the risks and benefits when using an app.

Automated summary

Smartphones and health apps are commonly used for medical purposes, but there is no consensus on the evidence for a unified digital strategy. The quality of health apps is inconsistently defined. The Association of Medical Societies provides 9 quality criteria as a guide for assessing these apps, which are based on existing standards and benchmarks. Users are recommended to conduct their own research and weigh the risks and benefits of using an app, similar to regular medical practice.