Bridging the Gap: Towards a Standardized Framework for Evaluating mHealth and AI-Enabled Health Applications

Mobile health (mHealth) applications and AI-enabled health applications are expanding rapidly, yet their evaluation remains fragmented and inconsistent. Numerous frameworks exist, but none are universally adopted, leaving patients, clinicians, and policymakers without clear guidance. This review systematically examined literature from 2014-2024, identifying the most commonly mentioned attributes such as usability, engagement and privacy alongside attributes that are overlooked such as cost and user retention. These findings aim to provide a holistic foundation for a more complete approach to evaluation. An additional thematic analysis of AI governance and evaluation guidance was conducted, and the resulting synthesis produced a consolidated multi-domain taxonomy spanning strategic purpose, risk and safety, equity, transparency and explainability, and technical lifecycle considerations.