The main goal of digitalization and technology is to support consumer brands by creating experiences and features that can engage the consumer. For healthcare companies, it is still a challenge to make consumers 100 percent satisfied.
When we talk about digital health, we mean connected data and tools, which aim to improve patient and healthcare professional engagement, outcomes, and access to information for better self-care and healthcare delivery.
Clearly, this objective is based on the need to integrate the digital part and that is why different digital health solutions are now implemented.
There is a wide range of solutions such as health apps, wearable devices (smart watches and activity trackers) and because of this there are also different regulatory requirements and expectations for the evidence generated by these devices.
One of the most important advances has also been biometric sensors, which can be included in the aforementioned devices or used separately. An example is connected glucose or heart rate monitors and even using tools as basic as a cell phone camera or its microphone to measure data related to health.
All the data that is collected on these devices can be analyzed using diagnostic algorithms and Artificial Intelligence approaches, which is having an increasing impact on health for both the consumer and the manufacturer.
With all of the above, we can understand what makes up digital health:
Today, not only are patients looking for these tools, but now health agencies and health professionals are looking for digital technologies to use in their practices, from websites with information, to telemedicine visits through messaging platforms. and video when needed.
Despite having a great advance in all this, there is still an area of opportunity in optimizing clinical trials and opening new ways to generate evidence. That is why it is necessary to use virtual tools to collect data through digital channels, which will save time in research and will have a better adherence and understanding of the efficacy and safety of each product.
As a doctor, your job is to stay informed, to know which technologies are the most innovative and to know which ones are within your reach to generate better diagnoses and/or monitoring of any condition of your patients.
Sources:
– IQVIA