BEAVERTON, Ore. – Continua Health Alliance, an industry organization of healthcare and technology companies dedicated to improving the quality of personal healthcare, and the NFC Forum, a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, today announced that they will work together to expand standards-based connectivity technology in the health IT industry.

Both Continua and the NFC Forum are proponents of simplifying digital content exchange to establish a system of personal connected health and wellness products and services that enable consumers, caregivers and healthcare providers to more proactively address ongoing healthcare needs.

The Co-operation Agreement between the organizations formalizes plans to increase promotion of global wireless telecommunications and Internet standards in the personal connected healthcare domain. The NFC Forum and Continua are exchanging technical information to facilitate the development of related Continua specifications for Personal Healthcare devices. The two organizations will also collaborate to streamline supporting vendor development and certification activities to speed products to market.

The NFC Forum, founded in 2004, continues to reach out to leading consortia representing key vertical industries to align work and ensure that standards are being set to meet specific use case needs. The healthcare industry has been one of the earliest adopters of NFC technology and offers many opportunities for innovated NFC-based solutions. Continua’s Tap ‘n Go technology efforts are particularly complementary to the capabilities of NFC.

“We look forward to working with our new partners at Continua to synergize our efforts to broaden specification development and offer new, creative, and appealing applications to the vital health IT sectors," said NFC Forum Chairman Koichi Tagawa.

Since its inception, Continua Health Alliance has developed technical design guidelines, established a product certification program, collaborated with government regulatory agencies and continually worked with leading providers of healthcare products and services to develop new personal connected healthcare methods to improve care quality while also mitigating rapidly increasing care costs.

“Continua is excited to work with the NFC Forum,” said Chuck Parker, executive director, Continua Health Alliance. “NFC technology has the potential to simplify the exchange of digital content for health care consumers and providers, permitting individuals and care-teams to obtain information more readily and accurately.”

About the NFC Forum

The NFC Forum was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. The Forum's mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum's 160 global member companies currently are developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability.

About Continua Health Alliance

Continua Health Alliance is a non-profit, open industry organization of healthcare and technology companies joining together in collaboration to improve the quality of personal healthcare. With more than 240 member companies around the world, Continua is dedicated to establishing a system of interoperable personal connected health solutions with the knowledge that extending those solutions into the home fosters independence, empowers individuals and provides the opportunity for truly personalized health and wellness management. For more information visit: www.continuaalliance.org.