Continua Health Alliance 2012 Design Guidelines Now Available Free To Developers; First To Feature Bluetooth Smart Technology

BEAVERTON, Ore., Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Continua Health Alliance today announced the availability of its most recent 2012 Design Guidelines to the public as a free download. These Design Guidelines were previously available only to Continua members during Interoperability Testing. Continua is the international industry organization dedicated to advancing personal connected health by promoting end-to-end, plug-and-play connectivity of personal health devices and establishing industry standards for interoperability.

For the first time, Continua's 2012 Guidelines include products that incorporate Bluetooth Smart, the low energy technology at the heart of the Bluetooth v4.0 specification. The ultra-low power consumption, security and reliability of Bluetooth Smart products makes them ideally suited for health and fitness devices, vital signs monitoring systems (i.e., heart rate, blood pressure, temperature) or on-body sensors.

"Bluetooth Smart Continua-ready devices and systems use a fraction of the power of Bluetooth Classic and, in many cases, will not require recharging for over a year," said Clint McClellan, Continua board president and chairman, and senior director of strategic marketing, Qualcomm Life, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated. "This is particularly significant for health and wellness monitoring programs as it brings us one step closer to creating an ecosystem of plug-and-play products for health self-management and health care delivery."

Continua is currently developing its 2013 Design Guidelines, which will become available to Continua members in January, and will undergo internal interoperability testing. Continua expects to release the 2013 Design Guidelines to the public in the fall.

Continua Design Guidelines are developed by Continua and complete an eight month, internal pilot program before public release. Each set of Guidelines is subject to interoperability testing to ensure Continua certified products and services, such as smart phones, gateways and remote monitoring devices, connect to other products or systems without restrictions or specific implementation. Continua issued its original Design Guidelines in 2008 and 2010, and is working to release additional Design Guidelines each year.

"Our Design Guidelines make the collection and sharing of personal health data convenient and secure for consumers and health care providers, and are proven to decrease time-to-market and reduce development costs," added McClellan.

Continua Health Alliance also provides free test tools and access to Certified Continua Experts (CCEs) to help members certify their products, and offers a testing and certification program that actively supports technology teams seeking certification. Certified products display a recognizable logo that signifies interoperability according to industry standards. Continua certification enables more efficient, standardized development and new market opportunities for interoperable products such as smart phones, dedicated wireless hubs, the Internet and personal health devices that can be used to collect and relay vital health information and education.

About Continua Health Alliance
Continua Health Alliance (Continua) is an international not-for-profit industry organization enabling end-to-end, plug-and-play connectivity of personal health devices and services. These services will empower information-driven health self-management and facilitate the incorporation of health and wellness into the day-to-day lives of consumers. Continua is a pioneer in establishing standards-based guidelines and security for connected health technologies such as smartphones, gateways and remote monitoring devices through its Guideline releases. The Alliance's activities include a certification and brand support program, events and collaborations to support technology and clinical innovation, and outreach to employers, payers, governments and care providers. With approximately 200 member companies reaching across the globe, Continua is comprised of technology, medical device and healthcare industry leaders and service providers dedicated to making personal connected health a reality. For more information visit: www.continuaalliance.org.

SOURCE Continua Health Alliance