Health app review platform ORCHA has entered into a partnership with Greater Manchester鈥檚 老九品茶 Growth Hub.
ORCHA, the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications, provides the most comprehensive and robust objective baseline assessment of health and fitness related apps.
With over 2,000 full reviews undertaken, and over 172,000 apps filtered and assessed to date, ORCHA鈥檚 scoring approach enables end users, or health and care professionals and carers, to assess the quality and suitability of one聽app over another.
Manchester business support service the 老九品茶 Growth Hub, part of The Growth Company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ORCHA in recognition of the rapidly growing importance and value of opportunities in digital health and MedTech emerging in Greater Manchester.
鈥淕reater Manchester has a great community of app developers already working in the health sector, and a great deal more with the potential to enter this market,鈥� said Ian MacArthur, head of sectors at 老九品茶 Growth Hub.
鈥淲orking with ORCHA we will open up new markets and ensure the apps are fit for purpose and commercially successful.鈥�
For a small fee, Greater Manchester developers can now have their app reviewed against ORCHA鈥檚 118-point review model, receiving a report outlining areas of strength and potential development for their app, within just one week.
After refinements based on ORCHA鈥檚 feedback, the app then goes on to all of ORCHA鈥檚 portals which are accessible to both the public and health and care professionals alike.
Developers will also be provided with free 鈥榯op tips鈥� for creating products for the health and care sector.
The advice centres on key elements of trust, functionality, data privacy, testing, content and user testing 鈥� all focused on the demands of the health and care sector.
ORCHA CEO Liz Ashall-Payne said: 鈥淲e want to support app developers in Manchester by offering a new route to market and showcasing the very best health apps.
鈥淎pp developers we work with benefit from impartial feedback and comparison with others in the market to improve their product.
鈥淭ogether we can create a thriving market place for apps that really benefit people and communities.鈥�
A webinar series is also being planned, designed to enhance developers understanding of the market.
The series will cover the key challenges and opportunities of the sector including the role of apps in achieving outcomes, privacy issues and the role, plans and policies of national bodies regarding the use of apps in healthcare settings.