The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced it is forming a workgroup of experts from the business, patient, and consumer communities to provide input on further development of a regulatory framework for health information technology (health IT), including mobile medical applications.

The workgroup is being formed following Bennet’s request for HHS to move quickly to define which mobile medical apps require government attention and produce a report to map out a regulatory strategy to address innovation, health IT and mobile apps in the years to come.

“We are seeing new and exciting technology in the health IT and bioscience sectors every day, especially right here in Colorado,” Bennet said. “It’s more common for us to turn to our smartphones or tablets to get information, including medical advice, and it is important that we create the appropriate set of regulations to keep people safe without getting in the way of innovation. I encourage Coloradans who are helping drive these new developments to apply to participate in this workgroup, and I look forward to reviewing their feedback.”

The FDA Safety and Innovation Act, which was signed into law last summer, included a compromise Bennet helped craft regarding mobile medical apps. The bill requires HHS to develop a strategy and a set of recommendations for regulating health IT, including medical mobile apps, that promotes innovation, protects patient safety, and avoids regulator duplication. The report should be completed by early next year.

For more information on the workgroup or to apply, please visit http://onc-faca.altaruminstitute.net/apply.