Digital Health Tools

In healthcare, progress only matters when it reaches patients. Digital pathology is helping make that happen. For decades, pathology relied on tissue samples on fragile glass slides and manual workflows. Getting a second opinion could take time and, in some cases, physical samples had to be shipped, with the risk of delay or damage. Digital pathology is changing that. High-resolution imaging and AI can help pathologists see more, faster and with greater precision. They can also help identify patterns beyond what the human eye can detect alone. And once slides are digitised, cases can be shared instantly, anywhere. What inspires me most? How this innovation breaks down barriers. Digital pathology enables collaboration across institutions and borders, helping specialists connect and bringing answers to patients faster. In 2021, Roche launched the Digital Pathology Open Environment, which encourages collaboration among software developers to improve patient outcomes and expand personalised healthcare through innovative image analysis. Today, together with partners such as Dr Dolores Lozano Escario and the team at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, we are helping redefine how we study and detect disease. When technology supports human expertise, the impact is real: better insights, greater confidence and ultimately better outcomes for patients.

💡 Publication alert on digital determinants of health! Health and well-being are shaped by countless factors—often referred to as social determinants. But in our increasingly digitalised world, what role do #digital determinants of health play?   Together with The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), our team at the WHO Regional Office for Europe and other WHO colleagues, along with experts on the subject, identified 127 key digital factors affecting health, especially:   🌐 access to the internet 🖥 availability of devices and software 🧑🏻💻 digital literacy 🗑 moderation of harmful content online 📲 algorithmic transparency   This shows how pervasive digital content can be enabled through the combined influence of digital, commercial, economic, and political factors across different levels of governance, reinforcing the importance of an equitable and sustainable digital transformation. While younger and healthier populations are better equipped to use digital tools, they are also more likely to be exposed to their adverse effects. In contrast, older people, those living with disabilities or chronic illness, migrants or other vulnerable groups, may gain the most from digital tools, but are at risk of being excluded. Ironically, this also means they are among the best protected from negative factors.   Improving digital access and literacy, placing individuals at the centre of the digital health design process, can help ensure safe and equitable solutions for everyone. Finally, we must consider how the digital divides evolve over time: basic digital technologies like phones and computers are still not accessible to everyone equally, while advanced tools such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and spatial computing, may leave even more communities at risk of exclusion.   We are proud to announce this study during the #RC74CPH week, where the progress report on our Regional #DigitalHealth Action Plan is being presented (more on that later this week). This publication is already available in the @Bulletin of the World Health Organization (to be included in the issue of February 2025) and an extended version will be published in mid-November as a WHO report.   A huge thank you to Robin van Kessel, Elias Mossialos, and the many partners and experts who have contributed to this vital research, and to Natasha Azzopardi Muscat and WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge for always championing digital health🙏.   Discover the study here: https://lnkd.in/ernASh_y

Proud to share new peer-reviewed evidence from a clinical trial conducted by Elevance Health and the UC Irvine, in collaboration with Apple, showing that a digital asthma self-management program significantly improved symptom control in adults. In a 12-month randomized clinical trial of 901 adults across 41 states, those using the digital health tool improved their Asthma Control Test scores by 4.6 points, more than twice the improvement seen with usual care. Participants also reported better medication adherence, higher confidence in self-management, and reduced impact on work productivity. The study underscores how thoughtfully designed digital tools can support broader access and drive whole health outcomes. Proud of this interdisciplinary collaboration and what it means for the 26 million Americans living with asthma. #WholeHealth #DigitalHealth 🔗 Read the full release + study: https://lnkd.in/gdkesA4e

I have always been interested in Geography, and working across several continents keep that passion burning. Anyone who is interested in Geography will naturally be drawn to maps. And, I have always had a fascination with the shape of Chile as a country. It is unique. It is the longest country north to south, extending across 39 degrees of latitude. But that uniqueness also presents unique challenges when it comes to healthcare delivery. Chile has long struggled with connectivity between regions, patients, and health institutions. The National Cancer Plan aims to address these issues by enhancing infrastructure and equipment, ensuring timely and quality care for all cancer patients. However, the implementation of advanced technologies like Digital Pathology has faced hurdles, including sub-optimal experience in pathology labs and a lack of trained personnel. Roche Chile has partnered with the Chilean health system to advance cancer care through the incorporation of Digital Pathology into the National Cancer Network. This initiative is a significant milestone, marking the recognition of digital pathology's importance in the National Cancer Plan 2024. Roche has developed a health system modelling strategy to accelerate the adoption of digital pathology in Chile. The strategy includes a pilot implementation in a leading public institution for breast cancer, generating local economic evidence on productivity and diagnostic outcomes, and hosting a co-creation workshop with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, academia, and digital hospitals. The potential impact of this initiative and others like it is substantial. Digital pathology will, I believe, enable seamless connectivity between pathology labs across public hospitals, fostering a national network for expert inter-consultations. This means faster, more accurate diagnoses for patients, significantly reducing waiting lists and improving survival rates and quality of life for approximately 60,000 oncology patients in the public system. The inclusion of digital pathology in the National Cancer Plan 2024, backed by a dedicated budget, is a monumental step forward. It underscores the commitment to leveraging innovative solutions to enhance cancer care, ensuring that more patients benefit from prompt and precise diagnoses without incurring additional costs.

As a physician-and-patient, I see the medical world from both sides of the white coat. As we celebrate the end of the year, so many healthcare innovations stand out to me-- including 3D printing, AI/machine learning, gene editing, and ... of course telemedicine. With telemedicine, there’s less hassle for our patients’ basic clinic visits – no more travel, parking fees, or staring at walls in waiting rooms. Quality care comes to each person in their living room. But it's not just about convenience. Telemedicine is bridging geographical gaps & bringing essential specialist care to underserved areas. For example, Equum Medical recently partnered with a rural hospital to provide remote nephrology services, making dialysis accessible locally. This means patients can receive their treatments closer to home-- surrounded by their own support network-- without getting transferred out. 🚑 Tele has the potential to ease the burden on patients and their families. It can also help alleviate the strain on hospitals and healthcare workers, esp in areas facing staff shortages. I'm inspired by what's ahead in medicine, telemedicine, and beyond. It means a lot to me, as someone who is on “both sides." What is everyone else looking forward to in 2025? #medtech #womeninmedicine #telemedicine

Germany’s Digital Therapeutics DiGA Fast-Track Under Scrutiny: 📑A new npj Digital Medicine systematic review analyzed 23 approval studies behind Germany’s reimbursable digital health apps (DiGAs). While all reported medium‑to‑large positive effects (mostly in mental health), every study carried a high risk of bias, largely due to reliance on self‑reported outcomes, missing data, and inconsistent designs. Key takeaways: 🔘 21 of 23 studies measured their primary outcomes via patient reported measures raising concerns over objectivity (but authors also acknowledged objective reporting is difficult in mental health) 🔘Dropout rates averaged 22% in intervention groups, higher than controls 🔘Only one study assessed process‑level improvements (eg access, patient literacy, safety, adherence, guideline alignment) despite DiGAs aiming to improve both outcomes and care pathways 🔘 Despite the reported flaws, over 1 million DiGA prescriptions have been issued, costing insurers €234M by end 2024 🔘Authors call for stricter standards, mandatory study protocols, and real‑world evidence as Germany’s model influences other countries 💬Germany pioneered reimbursed digital therapeutics, but this study suggests the evidence base is shakier than it looks. Tightening approval standards may be key before others adopt this model at scale 📍Note: The review itself isn’t flawless. It excluded failed or withdrawn DiGAs, faced patchy reporting and missing protocols, and required judgment calls due to vague guidelines. Effect sizes varied, and without author input, some bias risks may have been overstated 👇Link to study in comments #DTx #DigitalHealth 

Telehealth only leads to over-utilization of care. It does not actually replace in-person visits, it only costs us more money. 🤨 Sound right? That concern has shaped the policy conversation for years. It began due to a widely cited study demonstrating DTC telehealth increased total utilization. It became a benchmark for both caution and debate, especially in Medicare policy debates (can read here: https://lnkd.in/erZ4qYXV) Btw, that study was from 2017. Yet we still had that story ingrained and was hard to shake despite some research showing different results. Well in a new study, we have new evidence to may get rid of this belief once and for all. This study analyzed 100% of Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) claims from 2019 to 2024 to assess how telehealth has affected outpatient visit volume. It focused on evaluation and management (E&M) visits across three specialties with different levels of telehealth use: 🔹 Low: Orthopedic surgery 🔹 🔹 Medium: Primary care 🔹 🔹 🔹 High: Behavioral health Here’s what stood out: 1️⃣ Telehealth stabilized: After its initial spike, telehealth found its place. In 2024, it made up 38.4% of behavioral health visits, 6.3% in primary care, and just 1.2% in orthopedics. 2️⃣ More telehealth didn’t mean more visits. Total E&M visits were actually lower in specialties that used telehealth more: 📉 Behavioral health: 4.1% relative decline 📉 Primary care: 7.2% relative decline (Compared to orthopedics as a baseline) 3️⃣ Telehealth was substitutive, *not* additive: This is a key difference. Virtual care mostly replaced in-person visits rather than creating new demand. It met patients where they were without overwhelming the system. 4️⃣ Overall utilization stayed steady: Despite new care models, visit rates held consistent. Telehealth expanded flexibility, but capacity constraints and clinical workflows still shaped how care was delivered. These findings challenge long-held assumptions (I can't believe that it has been 8 years). We now have strong, early data suggesting that broad telehealth adoption doesn’t drive overutilization in Medicare. That’s a meaningful shift. It is time to move beyond outdated fears and into more thoughtful, evidence-based policy. As someone who’s worked in both emergency medicine and telehealth, I’ve seen how virtual care can meet real needs without excess. I hope we continue building systems that reflect that. Not just in theory, but in how we support access, quality, and sustainability in practice. 🧠 Curious to hear your thoughts especially if you're working in policy, digital health, or any corner of the system where these questions come up daily. 🔗 Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/eyam4jHF Note: this is a preprint so might be more to add post peer review #digitalhealth #telemedicine #telehealth

Digital health isn’t just a trend—it’s becoming the default channel for care delivery across generations. The latest 2024 Consumer Adoption of Digital Health Survey offers a compelling snapshot of how different generations are embracing virtual care, health tracking, wearables, and data-sharing. 🔍 Key insights: - Millennials lead in virtual care use (68%) and wearable ownership (66%), showing strong engagement as Digital Devotees. - Gen Z is proactive in tracking health metrics digitally (64%) and owning connected devices (60%). - Surprisingly, older generations—especially the Silent Generation—are the most willing to share data (90%) and trust provider-shared health info (76%). This generational shift reinforces what many of us in healthcare already see: digital health is not about age, it’s about mindset and trust. As we design the future of care, the challenge isn’t just technology—it’s creating connected, trustworthy, and inclusive digital experiences for everyone. #DigitalHealth #ConnectedCare #PatientEngagement #VirtualCare #HealthTech #FutureOfHealthcare #HealthcareLeadership #WearableTech #GenerationalInsights #RockHealth #CareRedesign #HealthEquity #DataDrivenCare #VirtualFirst #TrustInHealthcare

This paper investigates how digital medicine tools contribute to the treatment burden in patients with diabetes through qualitative patient interviews. 1️⃣ Patients identified five categories of digital tasks: device maintenance, lifestyle changes, data sharing, administrative burden, and patient education. 2️⃣ Three main factors exacerbate digital treatment burden: personal factors (e.g., dependence on technology, concerns over accuracy), situational factors (e.g., travel disruptions, device removal for medical procedures), and structural factors (e.g., data synchronization issues, insurance complexities). 3️⃣ Two major consequences of this burden were identified: improved operational efficiency and quality of care (e.g., easier data sharing, better health recommendations) but also significant disruptions to daily life (e.g., alarm fatigue, logging burden, social visibility of devices). 4️⃣ Patients often struggled with managing multiple digital tools, requiring time-consuming maintenance and adaptation to frequent updates or system failures. 5️⃣ Many participants valued the health benefits of digital tools over potential privacy concerns but reported stress due to inaccurate device readings and trust issues with manufacturers. 6️⃣ Digital medicine’s impact on social and professional life varied; while some tools allowed discreet management, others were constant reminders of the disease. 7️⃣ The study highlights the need for designing digital tools that minimize patient workload, improve usability, and reduce administrative and financial burdens. ✍🏻 Misk Al Zahidy, Sue Simha, Megan Branda, Mariana Borras Osorio, Maeva Haemmerle, Viet-Thi Tran, Jennifer L. Ridgeway, Ph.D., Victor Montori. Digital Medicine Tools and the Work of Being a Patient: A Qualitative Investigation of Digital Treatment Burden in Patients With Diabetes. Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health. 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpdig.2024.11.001

Numerous interviews by the United Nations Task Force on #NCDs #UNIATF with people with lived of experience of non-communicable diseases #NCDs and #mentalhealth conditions showed general consensus that #digital solutions, when used appropriately, are beneficial and empowering and increase people’s agency over their #health All the participants used digital #technology to manage their conditions, from search engines for access to health information to #telemedicine for interaction with health providers and applications for self-management Their health-seeking behaviour also improved; for a person living with #dementia, virtual consultations overcame their #anxiety in asking for advice from a practitioner, and solutions such as mobile messaging provided discreet access to support #Digital solutions also gave them more support from advocates and carers; for example, for a parent of a #child living with type 1 #T1D diabetes, remote monitoring of glucose levels averts potential crises They also described concerns and challenges, such as limited interaction with health providers and feeling less supported, especially for an initial consultation when a relationship with a #health worker had not yet been built. Digital technology was considered a barrier to access to health care in areas with unreliable Internet coverage or with high connection costs The following solutions were proposed: • a centralized catalogue of evidence-based solutions with demonstrated health benefits, drawn up by specialists. This would also be helpful for health-care professionals • enforcement of standards and regulations to safeguard patients’ data, privacy and well-being • co-development of solutions and strategic frameworks with patients and their advocates. Technology developers and policymakers should create an advisory group, including people with lived experience • coordination of culture change in health care with digital health by sensitization to the value of digital technology to empower patients and digital literacy training to ensure uptake by health workers • partnerships between Internet and telecom providers and governments or health providers to increase access to technology and ensure equitable coverage with digital health for all communities To fully realize the benefits of digital technology for patients, there must be meaningful engagement from the outset. People with lived experience should be systematically involved in developing solutions, policies and strategies A collective effort is required to accelerate the reach and impact of digital solutions for more patients in a responsible, #equitable way, regardless of #education, #ability, #economic level or #location Guy Fones Alexey Kulikov Jeremy Farrar Alain Labrique World Health Organization   https://lnkd.in/eQDBv9cN