SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Woebot, a mental health app from Woebot Health that provides personal and immediate support to people who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression, has passed the rigorous new Digital Health Assessment Framework (DHAF) that aims to enhance health application standards in the United States.
The DHAF, considered the most stringent framework for assessing safety, efficacy, privacy and security in digital health technologies, was developed by the Organization for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA) to support the adoption of high-quality digital health technologies and to help healthcare professionals and patients make more informed decisions about which tools best suit their needs. The open framework includes components to assess privacy and security, clinical assurance and safety, and usability, and was crafted to support U.S.-specific guidelines, regulations and best practices for digital health technologies.
Although 86 million Americans are already using a health or fitness app, to date there has been no clear way to determine whether a product is safe to use, and many apps fall outside of existing medical device regulations and federal laws.
“From day one, our focus has been to create clinically-grounded tools that give people a private and safe space to work through life’s challenges,” said Woebot Health Founder and President Alison Darcy. “We’re thrilled that Woebot is among the few mental health apps to achieve the DHAF standards for safety, efficacy, privacy and security. These important criteria can help ensure people feel comfortable knowing they are using the best digital mental health tools available.”
Commenting on the designation, ORCHA COO Tim Andrews said: “It has been a pleasure helping Woebot Health achieve this important accreditation. ORCHA’s accreditation standards are the world’s toughest, so U.S. healthcare professionals and consumers will know they can trust any digital health products which successfully pass the DHAF.”
The DHAF project has been led by the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), with ORCHA developing the framework itself. The DHAF allows the independent assessment of mobile apps and web-based tools used by healthcare providers and consumers.
About Woebot Health
Woebot Health is the world’s first mental health ally for people and businesses, with products that put personal growth in people’s hands, wherever they are. Our pipeline of prescription digital therapeutics and behavioral health products combine natural language processing, decades of clinically-proven techniques and a relational agent called Woebot, which together form the foundation for mental health solutions that can engage at scale and fit right into people’s lives. For more information, visit woebothealth.com or follow Woebot on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
