Research Tools



The Digital Health Framework was developed with a group of subject matter experts and evaluated by digital health researchers.

The resulting framework consists of four intersecting domains including:

  • 1- access and usability,
  • 2- risks and benefits,
  • 3- privacy, and
  • 4- data management

These domains were identified as the key factors critical to decision-making. Ethical principles of respect for the person, beneficence, justice (Belmont Report) and respect for law and public interest (Menlo Report) form its core.

Access the Digital Health Checklist

Digital Health Checklist for Researchers

The DHC was developed to fill a gap in guidance for digital health researchers. However, it can be useful to technology developers, ethics boards, clinical personnel, and people considering participation in a digital health study. The checklist was developed in consultation with researchers affiliated with the Society for Behavioral Medicine interested in creating safe and responsible digital health research.

We thank those who have contributed and welcome suggestions for improvement.

To provide comments, please complete this short survey.

To cite the checklist, please use:

Nebeker, C., Ellis, R.B., Torous, J. (2019). Digital Health Checklist for Researchers (DHC_R) Accessed on [Date] from ReCODE Health https://recode.health/tools/

Nebeker, C., Bartlett Ellis, R. and Torous, J. (2019) Development of a Decision-making Checklist Tool to Support Technology Selection in Digital Health Research, Translational Behavioral Medicine ibz074, https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibz074

Nebeker, C., Torous, J., Bartlett Ellis, R. (2019). Building the case for actionable ethics in digital health research supported by artificial intelligence. BMC Medicine, 17(1), 137; http//:DOI: 10.1186/s12916-019-1377-7

ReCODE.Health tools are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International License. 2018 – 2022.

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