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H H S Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health Information Technology and Quality
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mHealth

What is mHealth? - mHealth is the use of mobile and wireless devices to improve health outcomes, healthcare services and health research..
                                                       - This definition was developed by a NIH Consensus group.

Video Report: What is mHealth?

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Federal mHealth Coordination

Text4Health Task Force

In November 2010, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established the Text4Health Task Force as part of the agency’s commitment to promoting innovation at HHS.  The task force, comprised of public health experts across HHS, was charged with providing recommendations for HHS’ role in encouraging and developing health text messaging initiatives which would deliver health information and resources to individuals via their mobile phones. The report recommends that: 1) HHS develop and host evidence-based health text message libraries that leverage HHS’ rich and scientifically-based information, 2) HHS develop further evidence on the effectiveness of health text messaging programs, and 3) HHS explore and develop partnerships to create, implement and disseminate health text messaging and mHealth programs.  The full HHS Text4Health Task Force recommendations are available for public comment at the HHS.gov/Open Initiatives website.


Federal mHealth Collaborative

The Federal mHealth Collaborative is a community of practice. The Collaborative shares best practices, innovations, and projects in the mHealth space.

Federal mHealth Projects

Department of Health and Human Services
       Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
       Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
       Food and Drug Administration
       Health Resources and Services Administration
       National Institutes of Health
       National Library of Medicine
       Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Department of Agriculture
Department of Defense
Department of Veterans Affairs
Environmental Protection Agency

Public-Private Partnerships
Text4Baby

mHealth Opportunities

Funding Announcement [RFA-PS-12-001]: Use of Mobile Applications to Increase HIV Testing Behavior and HIV Prevention with Positive Persons

Competitions currently underway:

Events Calendar

Past Conferences/Presentations (Archive Videos)

Reference Materials

mHealth in the News

Your Mobile Device and Health Information Privacy and Security (posted 12/19/2012)

FCC addresses mHealth Task Force recommendations (posted 12/18/2012)

Feedback Requested! Healthy Aging White Paper exit icon (posted 12/13/2012)

Pilot evaluation of the text4baby mobile health program exit icon (PDF - 224 KB) (posted 12/11/2012)

Growth of Video-Sharing Websites

71% of online adults use video-sharing sites, a 5% increase since last year. 

Rural internet users have caught up to others in their use of video-sharing sites, and ethnic minorities are increasingly more likely to use them.

On a typical day, 23% of internet users visit video-sharing sites.

-- Pew Internet and American Life Project