VA Mobile App Intake

Step One

Request approval and learn what documentation is required.

Before you can publish your app to any of the OCC App Publishing Options, you must obtain approval for your app project by completing the VA Mobile App Intake (VA Network access required).

There are three internal classifications of apps. You will need to read the definitions below to determine which classification your app falls under. There is general information you will need to be prepared to complete regardless of whether your app is classified as an OCC app, a VA-sponsored app, or a third-party-app.

General Information Required

• A high-level executive summary: Be prepared to describe the app as you would in the description field of an app store download page. The description should include the target audience(s) and the job the app helps the target audience(s) accomplish.
• App platform(s).
• App audience(s).
• The address(es) for the app: native/web URL, Apple's App Store URL, and/or Google Play URL, if applicable.
• The purpose of the app.
• What features or capabilities does the app have over similar apps that already exist and are listed on the VA App Store.
• Where a user gets technical support for the app (be prepared to provide detailed support instructions).
• Is the app required to be behind the VA firewall in order to use. If so, be prepared to identify sign in method(s) required for the app: LOGIN.GOV, ID.me, or DS Logon Level 2 (Premium),  MyHealtheVet Premium.
• Review the OCC app publishing options, so you can be prepared to request which OCC App Catalogs you want your app published on.

OCC App Information Required

• Project manager (PM) and contracting PMs Contact Info.

VA-Sponsored App and Third-Party App Information Required

• Whether VA funds were used to purchase the app or license the app.
• Contact information of the person and office sponsoring these apps contact info.
• Be prepared to agree to review the content published for the app biannually and the apps continued relevance for the intended target audience(s) if approved for the VA  App Store.
• Which company makes the app.
• The vendor address.

Once the Office of Connected Care approves the VA app, a workflow is triggered. If the app is an OCC app, you will receive an information packet and Mobile App Platform (MAP) account instructions. If it is not approved, you will receive an email from Connected Care explaining the reason. Once approved, be prepared to provide additional metadata to include VA branded icons.

Once your app has been published to one or multiple of the OCC app publishing options, you may need to make edits and/or updates. Please contact: OCCVAMobileIntakeSupport@va.gov.

Once your request has been reviewed by the committee, you will receive additional information on how to provide the documentation required to publish your app. Reviewing all the information on the OCC VA Mobile Developer Portal will be helpful in determining the required workload and/or level of effort to get your app through the various Development Stages.

Step Two

Discover app publishing avenues!

Once approved and documentation received, it's time to publish your app!

Connected care has many application publishing options, which include the following:

• VA App Store (external)
• Patient Video Tablets (PVTs) (internal)

The VA App Store is an external app store. Veterans and other staff can access it from their computers or mobile devices. There are other avenues to publishing apps outside of Connected Care. The VA App Catalog is an internal app store and accessible by only GFE devices which are enrolled in VA's Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM). This store is managed by the VA Enterprise Mobility team (Solution Delivery Mobility and Endpoint Engineering team). There are also commercial app stores, Apple App Store and Google Play. These publishing avenues outside of Connected Care have different points of contact and processes to follow, as noted in the section: Publishing Apps Outside of OCC.

OCC App Ownership

OCC Apps

OCC apps are developed by the VHA Office of Connected Care in close cooperation with the VA Office of Information and Technology (OIT). They have passed extensive review and testing to ensure that they comply with all Federal and VA requirements for safety, security, and usefulness, as outlined in the Developer Portal. Only tested and approved apps display VA’s Mobile App logo or appear as a VA app in app stores. They are tools for Veterans, their Caregivers, and VA staff. The app development teams manage their projects and deliverables on the Mobile App Platform (MAP).

OCC PMs can suggest an app for consideration through the VA Mobile App Intake (VA Network access required).

VA-Sponsored Apps

The VA Mobile Enterprise App Store may also include apps built or contracted by the VA that originate outside the Office of Connected Care (OCC). They have passed all necessary VA requirements and testing to ensure that they meet Federal and VA requirements for safety, security, and usefulness, as outlined in the VA Software Compliance Requirements of the Developing VA Apps overview.

If you are a VA organization and are planning or developing an app you want to display in the VA App Store as a VA-branded app, it must comply with VA standards. You must upload your code to VA’s VA Mobile Framework (VAMF) for testing and release.

VA organizations can suggest an app for consideration through the VA Mobile App Intake (VA Network access required).

Third Party Apps

The VA Mobile Enterprise App Store may also include links to apps produced outside the VA. These are apps a VA sponsor has recommended as useful. Listed Third Party Apps do not connect to the VA network and VA does not ensure that these apps are safe or secure.

VA sponsors can suggest an app for consideration through the VA Mobile App Intake (VA Network access required).

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Pathways to Publishing

OCC App Publishing Options

Connected Care provides several places to publish an app depending on the audience or security restrictions. Connected Care manages the VA App Store, the Launchpad apps, companion apps to the VA App Store, and the Patient Video Tablets (PVTs). The request will be reviewed, if additional information is needed, you will be contacted.

VA App Store

Connected Care manages the VA App Store. Current app intake allows for access to 40-plus apps specifically created for Veterans and their providers. The VA App Store is a "one-stop shop" for Veterans and VA providers to find VA apps created jsut for them, canceling the need to go to commercial app stores. 

Each app on the VA  App Store has a content detail page that includes an app description, instructions for signing in (if needed), screenshots, training materials, and a way to provide feedback to VA.

Connected Care PMs can submit an app for consideration through the VA Mobile App Intake page (VA Network access required).

Patient Video Tablets (PVTs)

Connected Care manages the Patient Video Tablets (PVTs),a locked-down internal tablet for Veterans. Any app — including third-party or non-VA, publicly available apps —  requested to be installed on PVTs requires approval by the Tablet Workgroup and final sign-off by Dr. Heyworth. Once approved, these apps will be available for install on PVTs either by auto-install or on-demand. When intaking apps for PVTs, the scope of apps presented to Veterans' PVTs is determined, i.e. all PVTs (eg. VVC), specific PVT-identified use cases, or individually approved PVTs.

Publishing Apps Outside of OCC

If you wish to publish your app on commercial app stores, VA provides a VA App Catalog as well as a process that considers the audience and security restrictions of the app. The apps on the commercial app stores are considered informational or educational apps because they do not require a VA network connection nor require interfacing with any VA network systems or databases. Informational or educational apps do not provide personal information or private health information about the user.  

VA App Catalog

This app intake process is outside of OCC. This process is managed and supported by the Mobile & Endpoint Engineering Team. The VA approved apps that reside within the VA App Catalog, include both the use of interaction with VA Data as well as non-PII/PHI Interaction of VA Data. To request an application to be added within the VA App Catalog, a security assessment of the requested applications will be required. These applications are only available for Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM) Enrolled GFE mobile devices.

ESE Mobile App Intake (VA Network access required).

Google Play

The app intake process for Google Play is outside conducted of Connected Care. Read through and follow the directions at https://wiki.mobilehealth.va.gov/display/PDFMA/Google+Play+Store+SOP. Please note that all required items and all first-time items mentioned in each SOP are required to get the app into Google Play. If any of the required items are not provided, then Google Play will not make the app available for testing or production use.

Apple's App Store

The app intake process for the Apple App Store is outside of Connected Care. Read through and follow the directions at https://wiki.mobilehealth.va.gov/display/PDFMA/Apple+App+Store+SOP. Please note that all required items and all first-time items mentioned in each SOP are required in order to get the app initially into Apple's App Store. If any of the required items are not provided, then Apple's App Store will not make the app available for testing or production use.