MPrescribe

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To mPrescribe is the act of prescribing health apps or any health care media for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The mPrescribing of applications allows hospitals and physicians an instrument for prescribing mHealth apps to patients directly. One way to accomplish this is by allowing doctors to send an email directly to the patient with a secure link to download the prescribed app. Educational material such as documents and videos can also be prescribed this way.

The use of mPrescribed apps would enhance, not replace the doctor-patient relationship. Use of these apps by patients would provide the patient with many possible benefits.

There are some issues currently standing in the way of wide spread mPrescribing, most notably:
  1. reimbursement for provider time by health payers
  2. reimbursement for the cost of the app by health insurance companies
  3. content and security of the app itself, such as:
    • No malware
    • Secure
    • Does what developers claim
    • Come from reliable sources
    • Content is credible
    • Safeguards for user data

A good example of mPrescribing can be found at Happtique with their mRx Mobile Health Platform. Happtique has come out with a certification, program called HACP Standards and Associated Performance Requirements, to address the issue of content and security of healthcare apps. The certification standards:

Submitted by: Crystal Clearwater