IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i22p14952-d971611.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Proposal of a New Rating Concept for Digital Health Applications in Orthopedics and Traumatology

Author

Listed:
  • Julian Scherer

    (Department of Traumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistr. 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland)

  • Yasmin Youssef

    (Department of Orthopedic, Trauma and Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Florian Dittrich

    (Joint Centre Bergisch Land, Department for Orthopaedics, Sana Fabricius Clinic Remscheid, Brüderstraße 65, 42853 Remscheid, Germany
    Department of Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery, Universität des Saarlandes-Campus Homburg, Kirrberger Straße, 66421 Homburg, Germany)

  • Urs-Vito Albrecht

    (Medizinische Fakultät OWL, AG 4-Digitale Medizin, Universität Bielefeld, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany)

  • Serafeim Tsitsilonis

    (Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Pl. 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany)

  • Jochen Jung

    (ATOS Klinik Heidelberg, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Bismarckstr. 9-15, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany)

  • Dominik Pförringer

    (Trauma Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Clinic and Policlinic for Trauma Surgery, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany)

  • Stefan Landgraeber

    (Department of Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery, Universität des Saarlandes-Campus Homburg, Kirrberger Straße, 66421 Homburg, Germany)

  • Sascha Beck

    (Clinic for Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Sportsclinic Hellersen, Paulmannshöher Str. 17, 58515 Lüdenscheid, Germany)

  • David A. Back

    (Bundeswehr Hospital Berlin, Department for Traumatology and Orthopedics, Scharnhorststr. 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

Background: Health-related mobile applications (apps) are rapidly increasing in number. There is an urgent need for assessment tools and algorithms that allow the usability and content criteria of these applications to be objectively assessed. The aim of this work was to establish and validate a concept for orthopedic societies to rate health apps to set a quality standard for their safe use. Methods: An objective rating concept was created, consisting of nine quality criteria. A self-declaration sheet for app manufacturers was designed. Manufacturers completed the self-declaration, and the app was examined by independent internal reviewers. The pilot validation and analysis were performed on two independent health applications. An algorithm for orthopedic societies was created based on the experiences in this study flow. Results: “Sprunggelenks-App“ was approved by the reviewers with 45 (98%) fulfilled criteria and one (2%) unfulfilled criterion. “Therapie-App” was approved, with 28 (61%) met criteria, 6 (13%) unfulfilled criteria and 12 (26%) criteria that could not be assessed. The self-declaration completed by the app manufacturer is recommended, followed by a legal and technical rating performed by an external institution. When rated positive, the societies’ internal review using independent raters can be performed. In case of a positive rating, a visual certification can be granted to the manufacturer for a certain time frame. Conclusion: An objective rating algorithm is proposed for the assessment of digital health applications. This can help societies to improve the quality assessment, quality assurance and patient safety of those apps. The proposed concept must be further validated for inter-rater consistency and reliability.

Suggested Citation

  • Julian Scherer & Yasmin Youssef & Florian Dittrich & Urs-Vito Albrecht & Serafeim Tsitsilonis & Jochen Jung & Dominik Pförringer & Stefan Landgraeber & Sascha Beck & David A. Back, 2022. "Proposal of a New Rating Concept for Digital Health Applications in Orthopedics and Traumatology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-16, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:22:p:14952-:d:971611
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/22/14952/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/22/14952/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Adeel Ashfaq & Shawn Esmaili & Mona Najjar & Farva Batool & Tariq Mukatash & Hadeer Akram Al-Ani & Patrick Marius Koga, 2020. "Utilization of Mobile Mental Health Services among Syrian Refugees and Other Vulnerable Arab Populations—A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-15, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Coetzer, Jessica A. & Loukili, Ibrahim & Goedhart, Nicole S. & Ket, Johannes C.F. & Schuitmaker-Warnaar, Tjerk Jan & Zuiderent-Jerak, Teun & Dedding, Christine, 2024. "The potential and paradoxes of eHealth research for digitally marginalised groups: A qualitative meta-review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:22:p:14952-:d:971611. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.