The Global Certification Forum (GCF) and Continua Health Alliance have teamed up to develop an effective certification process for wirelessly-connected personal health devices. The framework of standards-based interfaces will enable end-to-end interoperability for connected health solutions.

Global Certification Forum (GCF) and Continua Health Alliance are co-operating to develop an effective certification process for wirelessly-connected personal health devices. In the mobile and many other industries, standards-based certification schemes have been proven to promote market development and growth. Access to necessary healthcare can be hindered by factors such as distance, time and money. Continua Health Alliance’s personal connected healthcare solutions can overcome these barriers by offering individuals with chronic conditions, the elderly, those with transportation issues and even the healthy well, more affordable access to care.  “One of Continua’s key goals is to enable end-to-end interoperability for connected health solutions. By providing a framework of standards-based interfaces, Continua is spurring innovation while removing barriers to global implementation and adoption,” said Chuck Parker, executive director,Continua Health Alliance. “By developing an effective process for testing these systems we’re expanding the ability of our members to deliver compelling products to consumers and healthcare providers that essentially become plug and play.”
GCF’s proven ‘test once, use anywhere’ certification scheme assures mobile operators of a wireless device’s interoperability across different networks, minmises duplication of testing and reduces time-to-market for new categories of connected devices. Since 1999, GCF Certification has made an important contribution to the global success of 3GPP wireless technologies, from GSM to 3G/UMTS and their extensions. A membership of more than 220 comprises the world’s leading operators, mobile device manufacturers, test labs and test equipment manufacturers. 

In October 2010 GCF introduced an optimised process for the certification of connected devices that incorporate GCF-certified embedded wireless modules. This process, described in guidelines that can be downloaded from the GCF website, provides insights that are highly relevant to the certification of mobile health devices. 

“3GPP wireless connectivity has the potential to add significant value to personal health devices,” said Adriana Nugter, Operations Manager of GCF.  “As a certification scheme trusted by mobile operators serving billions of people worldwide, GCF can help expand the market for this potentially life-enhancing new product category.”
Continua Health Alliance is exhibiting at Mobile World Congress on Stand 7MH12 in the App Planet.

Global Certification Forum – GCF – is an active partnership between network operators, device manufacturers and the test industry.  In the ten years since its inception in 1999, GCF has created an independent certification programme to help ensure global interoperability between mobile devices and networks.  By providing the focal point for the world’s most experienced practitioners in conformance testing, field trials and certification, GCF establishes global best practice for the certification of mobile phones and the ever-expanding range of devices that incorporate wireless broadband connectivity.  LTE was brought within GCF Certification in December 2010.

Continua Health Alliance is a non-profit, open industry organization of healthcare and technology companies joining together in collaboration to improve the quality of personal healthcare. With more than 230 member companies around the world, Continua is dedicated to establishing a system of interoperable personal connected health solutions with the knowledge that extending those solutions into the home fosters independence, empowers individuals and provides the opportunity for truly personalized health and wellness management.