ONC seeks comment on mobile devices as health information tools

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) is seeking opinion on mobile devices as health information tools.

ONC's Office of the Chief Privacy Officer plans to perform a project using qualitative data collection to obtain information from mobile health users regarding privacy and security concerns with this technology and perspectives on potential safeguards, according to a statement from the agency.

HHS initiatives include health text messaging products such as Text4Baby, a public-private partnership that provides pregnant women and new mothers with free health text messages, and SmokeFreeTXT, a free mobile smoking cessation service designed for teens and young adults.

A series of focus groups will be held in a variety of geographic regions to look at the attitudes and perspectives of individuals across different populations, ONC stated.

More information on these focus groups and mobile health initiatives can be found here.

 

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