How You Can Use Digital Therapeutics To Empower Your Health

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think about your health until something goes wrong.

But what if there was a way to take a proactive approach to your health, instead of waiting for something to happen? That’s where personal digital therapeutics come in.

In recent years, there has been a shift in the healthcare landscape with a move towards more personalized and preventive care. A more advanced method of personalized care is being built to deliver better care in the Healthcare ecosystem with digital therapies.

Also known as “personalized digital therapeutics,” this technology is still in its early stages but has the potential to change the way we think about our health.

Here’s what you need to know about this emerging field and how you can use it to empower your health.

Connecting to Your Best Digital Health

What Are Digital Therapeutics? 

Digital therapeutics are defined as “the use of software-based therapeutic interventions to treat or prevent disease and improve patient outcomes.” In other words, they are therapies that use digital technology to improve our health.

These therapies can be used to address a wide range of conditions, from chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity to mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. 

Digital therapeutics are not to be confused with mHealth apps, which are simply mobile versions of existing treatments or services. Instead, digital therapeutics are evidence-based interventions that have been proven to improve outcomes. They often involve a combination of hardware, software, and coaching to help patients manage their condition and achieve their health goals.

Insider Intelligence forecasts digital therapeutics (DTx) to be a $56 billion global opportunity by 2025 {1} and a growing list of companies providing services.

How Can Digital Therapeutics Empower Your Health? 

There are many ways in which digital therapeutics can empower your health. For one, they can help you take a more active role in your own health management.

Many digital therapeutic interventions involve coaching or education that equips patients with the knowledge and tools they need to make healthier choices. This empowers patients to take control of their own health and make lasting changes. 

A person with prediabetes, for example, may be administered a digital therapy as a method to modify their eating habits and behavior – which has the potential to result in delaying or preventing a diabetes diagnosis.

Digital therapeutics can also be utilized as an intervention strategy for previously diagnosed problems. A patient with type 2 diabetes, for example, might use digital therapeutics to better manage the disease.

More personalized treatment is possible than ever before with digital therapeutics. Because they are frequently given via software, they can be tailored to the particular requirements of each patient. This enables for a more personal approach that considers various factors for each individual, especially remotely.

This means that prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) can be customized to each person’s specific needs, making them more effective than traditional one-size-fits-all approaches to healthcare. Prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) are still relatively new, but they’re already starting to make an impact in the healthcare industry.

For instance, one retrospective study found that patients who used a PDT for diabetes management were able to reduce their HbA1c levels by 1.9% after just 12 weeks {2}. That may not sound like much, but it can actually have a big impact on your long-term health. And as PDTs become more widespread, it’s likely that we’ll see even more impressive results.

PDTs aim to empower patients by giving them the tools they need to elevate their overall health. This comes in the form of educational materials on making positive lifestyle choices, as well as access to treatments and resources that can help guide patients towards healthier decisions..

Finally, digital therapeutics can improve access to care. They can be delivered remotely, which means they can reach patients in underserved or remote areas who might not otherwise have access to quality care. Additionally, because they are often less expensive than traditional treatments, digital therapeutics can help reduce healthcare costs overall.

So how do PDTs work?

There are three main components: mobile apps, sensors, and data analytics. Mobile apps are used to collect data from sensors, which can be worn on the body or placed in the home.

This data is then analyzed to provide insights that can help patients manage their health. For example, some PDTs can track how well you’re sticking to your medication regimen or detect early signs of illness.

As a diabetic, my endocrinologist is synced to my continuous glucose monitoring system, so there is a continuous feed to my ongoing glucose management.

PDTs can also be used to provide education and support so that you can make better decisions about your health. For instance, some PDTs include educational content that can teach you about healthy lifestyle choices or provide information about specific conditions. Other PDTs offer support groups so that you can connect with others who are going through similar experiences.

So whether when we are looking to prevent , manage or treat health care we certainly can find a place to utilized these tools, but how can we maximize engagement? How about gamifying the activity?

Health Gamification

Health gamification is the use of game mechanics in non-game contexts to promote healthy behavioral change. By making health management more fun and engaging, patients are more likely to stick with their treatment plans and see positive results with their digital therapy.

When it comes to digital health, gamification can take many different forms. For example, some apps use points, badges, and leaderboards to encourage people to be more active. Others turn tracking into a game by turning data into characters or virtual pets that need to be cared for. And still others use gamification to motivate people to stick to their medication regimens or make healthy lifestyle choices.

There is evidence that health gamification can be an effective tool for behavior change. One study found that people who used a gamified app were more likely to meet their fitness goals than those who didn’t {3}. And another study found that patients who used a gamified platform to manage their diabetes had better blood sugar control than those who didn’t.

Virtual reality is another tool in this space that can be used to make health management more fun and engaging. And it’s not just for entertainment anymore—several companies are now developing VR applications for digital therapeutics.

For example, Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) has been shown to be an effective technique for reducing social anxiety {4}.

Health gamification can be a powerful tool for motivating people to make positive changes in their lives. When it comes to chronic disease management, gamification can help patients develop healthier habits and improve their overall wellbeing.

Potential Roadblocks

As with all things in the medical ecosystem, data and privacy when dealing with medical devices are of utmost importance. Data breaches in the healthcare industry are becoming more common, and as digital therapeutics become more popular, it’s important to make sure that patient data is protected.

Another potential roadblock for the adoption of digital therapeutics is the lack of reimbursement from insurance companies. Currently, many insurance companies don’t cover digital therapies, which means that patients have to pay out of pocket for these treatments. This can be a deterrent for some people, particularly those who can’t afford to pay for these treatments on their own. Cost is always a pain point. But the interest is there.

Working with the food and drug administration (FDA) on any medical device entails difficulties because of the necessity for randomized controlled studies and then clinical follow-up evidence. This usually impedes growth for any treatment option in the market, having regulatory pressure on any medical firm.

Finally, there is a risk that digital therapeutics will be used to replace traditional forms of care rather than complement them. This can be viewed good or bad depending on one’s perspective. proponents argue that digital therapeutics can provide a more convenient and affordable care option for patients, while opponents worry that these therapies will be used to replace in-person care, which can be essential for some patients.

Conclusion 

Digital therapeutics are a relatively new field, and there are still many unknowns about their efficacy. Digital therapeutics hold great promise for the future of healthcare.

By taking advantage of this emerging field, you can empower your health in a number of ways. From taking a more active role in your own health management to receiving more personalized care, digital therapeutics have the potential to transform the way we think about our health—and healthcare—for years to come.