In late September 2011, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology Dr. Farzad Mostashari announced the launch of the ‘One in a Million Hearts’ Investing in Innovation challenge in a post on this blog.  The challenge supports the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Million Hearts initiative, which aims to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes–two of the top causes of death in the United States–over the next five years. The challenge asks developers to create an application engaging consumers in improving their own cardiovascular health.

We’re excited with the enthusiastic response the challenge has already received, and now, as the challenge passes its halfway point, I want to share two pieces of news.

For the One in a Million Hearts challenge, we’re pleased to announce an exceptional technical review panel to judge the apps and solutions that are submitted. The panel will include:

• Joe Ternullo – Connected Health
• Janet Wright – HHS Million Hearts initiative
• Jason Mitchell – American Academy of Family Physicians
• Lee Goldberg – American College of Cardiology and Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
• Faraz Ahmad – Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
• Denise Simons-Morton – National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Craig Beam – American Heart Association
  

Many thanks to these individuals for offering up their time and expertise in support of the challenge and the Million Hearts initiative.

With the One in a Million Hearts Innovation challenge, we’re focusing on saving just one heart at a time by challenging developers and innovators to design applications that empower and help users improve their heart health.  So what could your app do? Provide education and resources to help reduce fat and salt intake, increase exercise, lose weight, stop smoking, or increase medication adherence? Use GPS technology to recommend nearby walks or places to eat healthier? Link users to online communities dedicated to improving heart health? Put your innovation to work to come up with your ideas!

Prizes for the top three apps are $50,000 (plus the opportunity to demo at an industry conference), $20,000, and $5,000.

You’ll find more details on the One in a Million Hearts challenge at www.Challenge.gov/ONC/245.  Submissions are due by Saturday, December 31, 2011.