DeTER Framework

Abstract

The use of health apps on mobile devices by healthcare providers and receivers (patients) is proliferating. This has elevated cybersecurity concerns owing to the transmittal of personal health information through the apps. Research literature has mostly focused on the technology aspects of cybersecurity in mobile healthcare. It is equally important to focus on the ethical and regulatory perspectives. This article discusses cybersecurity concerns in mobile healthcare from the ethical perspective, the regulatory/compliance perspective, and the technology perspective. The authors present a comprehensive framework (DeTER) that integrates all three perspectives through which cybersecurity concerns in mobile healthcare could be viewed, understood, and acted upon. Guidance is provided with respect to leveraging the framework in the decision-making process that occurs during the system development life cycle (SDLC). Finally, the authors discuss a case applying the framework to a situation involving the development of a contact tracing mobile health app for pandemics such as COVID-19.