Health App Review Tool: Matching mobile apps to Alzheimer’s populations (HART Match)

Aim: This brief report provides an overview of the development and structure of the Health App Review Tool. Methods: The Health App Review Tool has been designed to assess smart phone health apps according to their compatibility to individuals within the Alzheimer’s disease community. Specifically, app features and functions are characterized according to their appropriateness to the needs, abilities, and preferences of potential users. The Health App Review Tool is comprised of two components, the App and User Assessment; each component includes four complementary domains. Items in these domains can be compared between App and User assessments using a scoring key that will produce a match score. The score indicates the level of appropriateness in reference to the app’s ability to meet the user’s needs. Discussion: The Health App Review Tool was designed using available evidence and stakeholder preference data to ensure a user-centered design. The result was the development of a tool built on evidence and informed by the perceptions and preferences of those within and working with the Alzheimer’s disease population. App and User domains include usefulness, complexity, accessibility, and external variables. This unique matching approach is anticipated to significantly impact individualized, client-centered care. We anticipate that this study will serve as a model for future development of technology matching tools for other diagnostic populations. Discussion: The Health App Review Tool was designed using available evidence and stakeholder preference data to ensure a user-centered design. The result was the development of a tool built on evidence and informed by the perceptions and preferences of those within and working with the Alzheimer’s disease population. App and User domains include usefulness, complexity, accessibility, and external variables. This unique matching approach is anticipated to significantly impact individualized, client-centered care. We anticipate that this study will serve as a model for future development of technology matching tools for other diagnostic populations.