The Mobile Apps Certification Service of the TIC Salut Social Foundation has become a benchmark in the analysis of technology applied to the field of healthcare

A recent study entitled Análisis descriptivo de las aplicaciones móviles dels registro y seguimiento de los efectos adver (Descriptive analysis of mobile applications for recording and monitoring the adverse effects of antineoplastic drugs according to the evaluation methodology of IsysCore and the TIC Salut Social Foundation) highlights the importance of technology in improving health and reducing inequalities in access to healthcare services.

The aim of the study is to record, monitor and analyse the side effects of oral antineoplastic treatments (ANEOs) on cancer patients through mobile applications.

To determine which applications meet the ethical and technological efficiency standards, the foundation’s mobile app certification service has been used as a reference methodology to analyse and validate a series of solutions that have already been developed. The certification service analyses and scores the readiness of the technological tools based on a scale ranging from 0 to 40 in the following categories:

Usability and accessibility, in order to maximise the benefits offered by technology, the application must be user-friendly, designed for the required function and it must guarantee universal and inclusive access for people with functional diversity.

Technology, the application must comply with a minimum level of functionality for the end user, guaranteeing robustness and consistency.

Security, so as to preserve the privacy of the data generated by users and the confidentiality in the transmission of this information. Proper storage of the information must be ensured and encryption mechanisms must be established when registering access passwords.

Functionality and contents, with the support of a Committee of Experts made up of members of Official Associations such as COMB, COPFLEFC, COIB, SCEPC, AiFICC and CAMFIC, the quality of the contents and the usefulness of the functions it incorporates are assessed. This involves checking whether the application informs the user of its benefits and whether any professionals have participated in the design of the app or whether it informs the user of programme updates.

The foundation thus contributes towards improving the implementation of person-centred health and social welfare activities, through the use of mobile devices, sensors for patient monitoring and other solutions that act as remote digital assistants.

The results of the study conclude that of the twelve applications selected, a total of eight could be safely recommended by healthcare professionals. The scores according to the criteria defined by the foundation range between 31 and 32 points.