scholarly journals From Precision Metapharmacology to Patient Empowerment: Delivery of Self-Care Practices for Epilepsy, Pain, Depression and Cancer Using Digital Health Technologies

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Bulaj ◽  
Jacqueline Clark ◽  
Maryam Ebrahimi ◽  
Elizabeth Bald
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Patient Empowerment ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Combination Therapies ◽  
Lifestyle Modifications ◽  
Pharmacological Interventions ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Breathing Exercises

To improve long-term outcomes of therapies for chronic diseases, health promotion and lifestyle modifications are the most promising and sustainable strategies. In addition, advances in digital technologies provide new opportunities to address limitations of drug-based treatments, such as medication non-adherence, adverse effects, toxicity, drug resistance, drug shortages, affordability, and accessibility. Pharmaceutical drugs and biologics can be combined with digital health technologies, including mobile medical apps (digital therapeutics), which offer additional clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness. Promises of drug+digital combination therapies are recognized by pharmaceutical and digital health companies, opening opportunities for integrating pharmacotherapies with non-pharmacological interventions (metapharmacology). Herein we present unique features of digital health technologies which can deliver personalized self-care modalities such as breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, yoga, physical activity, adequate sleep, listening to preferred music, forgiveness and gratitude. Clinical studies reveal how aforementioned complimentary practices may support treatments of epilepsy, chronic pain, depression, cancer, and other chronic diseases. This article also describes how digital therapies delivering “medicinal” self-care and other non-pharmacological interventions can also be personalized by accounting for: 1) genetic risks for comorbidities, 2) adverse childhood experiences, 3) increased risks for viral infections such as seasonal influenza, or COVID-19, and 4) just-in-time stressful and traumatic circumstances. Development and implementation of personalized pharmacological-behavioral combination therapies (precision metapharmacology) require aligning priorities of key stakeholders including patients, research communities, healthcare industry, regulatory and funding agencies. In conclusion, digital technologies enable integration of pharmacotherapies with self-care, lifestyle interventions and patient empowerment, while concurrently advancing patient-centered care, integrative medicine and digital health ecosystems.

scholarly journals Can digital health save democracy? Meeting the cosmopolitical challenge of digital worlds

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 631-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Gonzalez-Polledo
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Individual Autonomy ◽  
Medical Conditions ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

This article explores the challenges and opportunities of social media health activisms to shape public participation in the digital future of healthcare. As health becomes ever more entangled with digital technologies, a growing ecology of digital health services promise greater individual autonomy to learn about and managing medical conditions, as well as accessing health services and engaging in forms of self-care. Cautioning against optimist visions of digital health and their promise of empowerment and autonomy, the article explores how health activisms on social media are reclaiming visions of healthcare that move beyond individual and depoliticised models of health technologies. The notion of cosmopolitics is employed to conceptualise relations between technology and health that implicate human and non-human interests in entanglements between health, morality and technology.

scholarly journals The role of economic, educational and social resources in supporting the use of digital health technologies by people with T2D: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Turnbull ◽  
Patricia J. Lucas ◽  
Alastair D. Hay ◽  
Christie Cabral
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Social Resources ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Digital Skills ◽  
Care Support

Abstract Background Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a common chronic disease, with socially patterned incidence and severity. Digital self-care interventions have the potential to reduce health disparities, by providing personalised low-cost reusable resources that can increase access to health interventions. However, if under-served groups are unable to access or use digital technologies, Digital Health Technologies (DHTs) might make no difference, or worse, exacerbate health inequity. Study aims To gain insights into how and why people with T2D access and use DHTs and how experiences vary between individuals and social groups. Methods A purposive sample of people with experience of using a DHT to help them self-care for T2D were recruited through diabetes and community groups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in person and over the phone. Data were analysed thematically. Results A diverse sample of 21 participants were interviewed. Health care practitioners were not viewed as a good source of information about DHTs that could support T2D. Instead participants relied on their digital skills and social networks to learn about what DHTs are available and helpful. The main barriers to accessing and using DHT described by the participants were availability of DHTs from the NHS, cost and technical proficiency. However, some participants described how they were able to draw on social resources such as their social networks and social status to overcome these barriers. Participants were motivated to use DHTs because they provided self-care support, a feeling of control over T2D, and personalised advice or feedback. The selection of technology was also guided by participants’ preferences and what they valued in relation to DHTs and self-care support, and these in turn were influenced by age and gender. Conclusion This research indicates that low levels of digital skills and high cost of digital health interventions can create barriers to the access and use of DHTs to support the self-care of T2D. However, social networks and social status can be leveraged to overcome some of these challenges. If digital interventions are to decrease rather than exacerbate health inequalities, these barriers and facilitators to access and use must be considered when DHTs are developed and implemented.

scholarly journals A technology-assisted life of recovery from psychosis

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dror Ben-Zeev ◽  
Benjamin Buck ◽  
Sarah Kopelovich ◽  
Suzanne Meller
Keyword(s):  
Early Detection ◽  
Symptom Management ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Clinical Population ◽  
Illness Management ◽  
Illness Management And Recovery ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Health Innovations ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum

Abstract Developments in digital health technologies have the potential to expedite and strengthen the path towards recovery for people with psychosis. This perspective piece provides a snapshot of how a range of digital technologies can be deployed to support a young adult’s efforts to cope with schizophrenia-spectrum illness. In conjunction with a day in the life of this individual, we provide examples of innovations in digital health research designed for this clinical population, as well as brief summaries of the evidence supporting the usability, feasibility, or effectiveness of each approach. From early detection to ongoing symptom management and vocational rehabilitation, this day-in-the-life vignette provides an overview of the ways in which digital health innovations could be used in concert to augment, scaffold, and enhance schizophrenia-spectrum illness management and recovery.

Digital health technology enhances resilient behaviour: evidence from the ward

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iacopo Rubbio ◽  
Manfredi Bruccoleri ◽  
Astrid Pietrosi ◽  
Barbara Ragonese
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Healthcare Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Management Domain ◽  
Operational Failure

PurposeIn the healthcare management domain, there is a lack of knowledge concerning the role of resilience practices in improving patient safety. The purpose of this paper is to understand the capabilities that enable healthcare resilience and how digital technologies can support these capabilities.Design/methodology/approachWithin- and cross-case research methodology was used to study resilience mechanisms and capabilities in healthcare and to understand how digital health technologies impact healthcare resilience. The authors analyze data from two Italian hospitals through the lens of the operational failure literature and anchor the findings to the theory of dynamic capabilities.FindingsFive different dynamic capabilities emerged as crucial for managing operational failure. Furthermore, in relation to these capabilities, medical, organizational and patient-related knowledge surfaced as major enablers. Finally, the findings allowed the authors to better explain the role of knowledge in healthcare resilience and how digital technologies boost this role.Practical implicationsWhen trying to promote a culture of patient safety, the research suggests healthcare managers should focus on promoting and enhancing resilience capabilities. Furthermore, when evaluating the role of digital technologies, healthcare managers should consider their importance in enabling these dynamic capabilities.Originality/valueAlthough operations management (OM) research points to resilience as a crucial behavior in the supply chain, this is the first research that investigates the concept of resilience in healthcare systems from an OM perspective, with only a few authors having studied similar concepts, such as “workaround” practices.

scholarly journals Digital Health Platforms in Saudi Arabia: Determinants from the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1517
Author(s):  
Saeed M. Alghamdi ◽  
Abdullah S. Alsulayyim ◽  
Jaber S. Alqahtani ◽  
Abdulelah M. Aldhahir
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Narrative Form ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
Mobile Health Applications

COVID-19 poses a significant burden to healthcare systems. Healthcare organisations with better health innovation infrastructures have faced a reduced burden and achieved success in curbing COVID-19. In Saudi Arabia, digital technologies have played a vital role in fighting SARS-CoV-2 transmission. In this paper, we aimed to summarise the experience of optimising digital health technologies in Saudi Arabia as well as to discuss capabilities and opportunities during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. A literature search was conducted up to September 2021 to document the experience of using DHTPs in Saudi Arabia in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We also considered any published data, press briefings, and announcements by the MOH in Saudi Arabia. The findings were synthesised in narrative form. Health officials succeeded in optimising and maintaining a strategy to mitigate the spread of the virus via different digital technologies, such as mobile health applications, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. The quick digital response in Saudi Arabia was facilitated by governmental support and by considering users and technology determinants. Future research must concentrate on establishing and updating the guidelines for using DHTPs.

Evolution of Digital Technologies and Use of Virtual Assistants in Drug Development

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Manu Venugopal
Keyword(s):  
Drug Development ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Development Phase ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Daunting Task ◽  
The World

The drug development phase is one of the most time-consuming and expensive stages in the lifecycle of a drug. Marred by patent expirations, price regulations, complexities in disease conditions, life sciences companies are facing a daunting task to bring new molecular entities into the market. Digital health technologies are playing a critical role in addressing some of the challenges faced during drug development. In this chapter, the author talks about the challenges and key trends in the world of drug development, use of new digital health technologies, and the future of drug development. As an example, the author dives into a specific case study on the use of virtual assistants in clinical trials and the benefits of its usage on patients, healthcare professionals, and life sciences companies.

Queensland Digital Health Clinical Charter: a clinical consensus statement on priorities for digital health in hospitals

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 661
Author(s):  
Clair Sullivan ◽  
Andrew Staib ◽  
Keith McNeil ◽  
David Rosengren ◽  
Ian Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Executive Leadership ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Clinical Community ◽  
Expected Benefits ◽  
High Level

Digital transformation of Australian hospitals is occurring rapidly. Although the clinical community has had limited ability to influence high-level decision making and investments into digital health technologies, as these technologies increasingly transform the way patients are cared for, the clinical community must influence the digital health agenda and be an integral part of the decision-making process. This case study details the process and lessons learnt during the development of the state-wide consensus statement detailing the clinical requirements for digital health initiatives to form the Queensland Digital Health Clinical Charter. To the best of our knowledge, Queensland is the first Australian jurisdiction to create a Digital Clinical Charter to be specifically referenced in the investment in and governance of digital health in hospitals. By developing this clinical charter for digital health, and in articulating the needs of clinicians, a clinical framework will be added to both the decision-making process around the investments in digital health and the definition and realisation of the expected benefits from these sizable investments. What is known about the topic? Digital transformation of healthcare is occurring rapidly. The clinical community has had limited ability to influence high-level decision making and investments into these digital health technologies. Tension currently exists between the clinical community who must use the new digital technologies and the technical groups that govern the introduction of the new technologies. This tension can be manifest as clinicians refusing to adopt new systems, safety concerns and an inability to reach consensus on direction. There are few peer reviewed publications addressing this tension between the clinical community and technical providers. What does this paper add? This paper is the first attempt to create a list of clinical requirements for digital transformation that crosses professional streams and is endorsed by the state-wide executive leadership team to inform the acquisition and governance of digital health technologies. What are the implications for practitioners? Clinicians can feel excluded and marginalised during the decision-making process for new digital technologies, despite the fact that they are often using these technologies to deliver hands-on care to patients. This charter clearly articulates the requirements of clinicians for digital transformation and has been endorsed by the executive leadership team of Queensland Health. The charter adds a clinical framework to be referenced during the decision-making process around the investments in digital health, and the definition and realisation of the expected benefits from these sizable investments. As the digital landscape in public hospitals evolves, clinicians are becoming increasingly reliant upon digital technologies. It is critical that clinicians have a strong effect on technology acquisition and governance to maximise the quality and efficiency of the care they provide.

scholarly journals Barriers to Creating Scalable Business Models for Digital Health Innovation in Public Systems: Qualitative Case Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Taylor Kelley ◽  
Jamie Fujioka ◽  
Kyle Liang ◽  
Madeline Cooper ◽  
Trevor Jamieson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Barriers To Entry ◽  
Health Innovation ◽  
Health Technologies

BACKGROUND Health systems are increasingly looking toward the private sector to provide digital solutions to address health care demands. Innovation in digital health is largely driven by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), yet these companies experience significant barriers to entry, especially in public health systems. Complex and fragmented care models, alongside a myriad of relevant stakeholders (eg, purchasers, providers, and producers of health care products), make developing value propositions for digital solutions highly challenging. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify areas for health system improvement to promote the integration of innovative digital health technologies developed by SMEs. METHODS This paper qualitatively analyzes a series of case studies to identify health system barriers faced by SMEs developing digital health technologies in Canada and proposed solutions to encourage a more innovative ecosystem. The Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care established a consultation program for SMEs to help them increase their innovation capacity and take their ideas to market. The consultation involved the SME filling out an onboarding form and review of this information by an expert advisory committee using guided considerations, leading to a recommendation report provided to the SME. This paper reports on the characteristics of 25 SMEs who completed the program and qualitatively analyzed their recommendation reports to identify common barriers to digital health innovation. RESULTS A total of 2 central themes were identified, each with 3 subthemes. First, a common barrier to system integration was the lack of formal evaluation, with SMEs having limited resources and opportunities to conduct such an evaluation. Second, the health system’s current structure does not create incentives for clinicians to use digital technologies, which threatens the sustainability of SMEs’ business models. SMEs faced significant challenges in engaging users and payers from the public system due to perverse economic incentives. Physicians are compensated by in-person visits, which actively works against the goals of many digital health solutions of keeping patients out of clinics and hospitals. CONCLUSIONS There is a significant disconnect between the economic incentives that drive clinical behaviors and the use of digital technologies that would benefit patients’ well-being. To encourage the use of digital health technologies, publicly funded health systems need to dedicate funding for the evaluation of digital solutions and streamlined pathways for clinical integration.

scholarly journals The role of economic, educational and social resources in supporting the use of digital health technologies by people with T2D: a qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Turnbull ◽  
Patricia Lucas ◽  
Alastair D Hay ◽  
Christie Cabral
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Social Resources ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Digital Skills ◽  
Care Support

Abstract BackgroundType 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a common chronic disease, with socially patterned incidence and severity. Digital self-care interventions have the potential to reduce health disparities, by providing personalised low-cost reusable resources that can increase access to health interventions. However, if under-served groups are unable to access or use digital technologies, Digital Health Technologies (DHTs) might make no difference, or worse, exacerbate health inequity. Study aimsTo gain insights into how and why people with T2D access and use DHTs and how experiences vary between individuals and social groups.MethodsA purposive sample of people with experience of using a DHT to help them self-care for T2D were recruited through diabetes and community groups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in person and over the phone. Data were analysed thematically.ResultsA diverse sample of 21 participants were interviewed. Health care practitioners were not viewed as a good source of information about DHTs that could support T2D. Instead participants relied on their digital skills and social networks to learn about what DHTs are available and helpful. The main barriers to accessing and using DHT described by the participants were availability of DHTs from the NHS, cost and technical proficiency. However, some participants described how they were able to draw on social resources such as their social networks and social status to overcome these barriers. Participants were motivated to use DHTs because they provided self-care support, a feeling of control over T2D, and personalised advice or feedback. The selection of technology was also guided by participants’ preferences and what they valued in relation to DHTs and self-care support, and these in turn were influenced by age and gender.ConclusionThis research indicates that low levels of digital skills and high cost of digital health interventions can create barriers to the access and use of DHTs to support the self-care of T2D. However, social networks and social status can be leveraged to overcome some of these challenges. If digital interventions are to decrease rather than exacerbate health inequalities, these barriers and facilitators to access and use must be considered when DHTs are developed and implemented.

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