The expanding use of mobile health (mHealth) technologies is unprecedented in the history of medicine. Every month, companies and researchers release new smartphone apps, smart watches, and sensor technologies for the health care market. Psychiatry has been no exception to this trend. There has also been growing patient, clinical, government, and payer interest in the potential of mHealth technologies for psychiatric clinical care. Psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychotherapists, and other mental health clinicians are increasingly faced with questions regarding the use of mobile and online apps.

APA is helping psychiatrists and other mental health professionals navigate these issues by evaluating apps against a modification of APA's App Advisor Evaluation Model and offering apps that meet the criteria the opportunity to use APA’s Seal of Acceptance with its product to demonstrate that an independent and trusted source has reviewed the app and found it to meet the APA standards.

The App Advisor Evaluation Model has been adopted by several healthcare organizations including the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Kaiser Permanente, Vinfen, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The Model has also been reviewed and used by several agencies within the federal government, including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the US Department of Veteran’s Affairs. It has been featured in several publications, including in peer-reviewed journal articles and in the popular press.

The App Evaluation Model evaluates:

• Background: Identifying developer, funding, costs, accessibility, and update history.
• Privacy and Security: Reviewing data collection, storage, sharing, and security measures, ensuring patient privacy and safety.
• Clinical Foundation: Assessing content accuracy, supporting evidence, and relevance to intended use.
• Usability: Evaluating interface, customization, and overall ease of use.

The review is based upon developer-provided information. The seal does not mean that APA endorses or recommends use of the product. The decision about whether to recommend the product to patients and whether patients should use the product should be based upon the patient’s individual needs after consideration of risks and benefits of use.

For more information, please complete the contact form below and a representative will contact you within two business days.