By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    Medicare Helps Seniors, and People with Disabilities & ESRD
    November 27, 2023
    The Link Between Allergies and Sinusitis & Strategies for Relief
    November 27, 2023
    What Health Complications Can a Sunburn Cause?
    November 22, 2023
    From Mountains to Metropolis: A Guide to First Aid Approaches
    November 20, 2023
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Healthcare Reform and The Cost of Prescription Drugs: Price Gouging or Providing Hope?
    December 15, 2012
    5 Ways Healthcare Providers Can Reduce Costly Hospital Readmissions
    April 9, 2013
    Image
    Leapfrog Exposes High Cost of Hospital Rework
    July 28, 2013
    Latest News
    Automation in Pharmacovigilance: A Double-Edged Sword
    November 15, 2023
    What Does Science Say About Modern Health Practices?
    November 12, 2023
    Harnessing the Power of Email Marketing in Healthcare
    October 26, 2023
    10 Proven Strategies to Level Up Your Health Business
    October 25, 2023
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: POLL RESULTS: What is the single greatest health benefit afforded by Digital Health solutions?
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Technology > Medical Innovations > POLL RESULTS: What is the single greatest health benefit afforded by Digital Health solutions?
eHealthMedical InnovationsMobile HealthSocial MediaTechnology

POLL RESULTS: What is the single greatest health benefit afforded by Digital Health solutions?

Paul Sonnier
Last updated: 2012/07/19 at 9:10 AM
Paul Sonnier
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

I’ve previously discussed the health revolution that’s been initiated by the super-convergence of several key macro digital technologies and technology-based trends with healthcare and consumers.

I’ve previously discussed the health revolution that’s been initiated by the super-convergence of several key macro digital technologies and technology-based trends with healthcare and consumers. But many in the life sciences and healthcare industries have asked: “What are the ultimate health benefits?” It’s a great question since, beyond the hype and flurry of investments (tripling this year vs. the same period in 2011), we are still waiting to see large scale measurable health-related outcomes that are attributable wholly or in part to the combined application of digital health solutions.

In order to gauge the sentiment of professionals working at the forefront of digital health innovation I polled the members of my Digital Health group on LinkedIn: “What is the biggest human health benefit from using digital health?”

  • Disease management – 50%
  • Disease prevention – 30%
  • Disease diagnosis – 11%
  • Disease prediction (especially genomics) – 7%
  • Reduced radiation exposure (imaging) – 3%

According to the poll (which received more than 325 responses as of July 16), half of the total respondents felt that the most significant, near-term benefit will come from improved disease management. For long-term benefits, approximately one third of respondents indicated that disease prevention was the greatest opportunity.

In considering the supporting evidence that already exists for the survey results, we’re already seeing some improvements in disease management from the use of digital health tools such as access to caregivers and laboratory results via online resources to delivering cardiac, rheumatology, and infectious disease care (and even psychiatric consultation) to patients in remote areas, as noted in previous posts by our guest blogger Dr. Dale Alverson. Moreover, many diabetics use glucometers and even pedometers to better monitor and manage their diabetes.

While it came in second, disease prevention could ultimately provide the largest benefit arising from use of digital health tools. After all, if we don’t become patients because we’ve used information to prevent disease, or exchanged testing information that presented a warning sign to future disease, digital health can stave off healthcare’s greatest costs: disease care. In addition, using solutions like 23andME and Pathway Genomics for personal genomics-based probabilistic disease prediction is a powerful, but mostly overlooked opportunity for digital health to make a significant difference in improving our health. If more consumers catch on to using these tools, and integrate them with additional digital health devices and services, they could further catalyze the digital health revolution.

Personally, I think both disease management and prevention will be equally important as more information becomes available through digital means. While basic health management and improvement augmented by digital tools and information is probably the biggest aspect of digital health disease prevention, in one amazing dual-opportunity, Dr. Eric Topol, author of The Creative Destruction of Medicine: How the Digital Revolution Will Create Better Health Care, recently described a scenario where we might one day intervene to prevent heart attacks just days before they occur: ”In the long term… we could put it in a nanosensor that is embedded into a tiny vein in high risk people who are most vulnerable to having a heart attack, and have that sensor talk to their cell phone, so they get an alert that they might have a heart attack in a few days.”

Going forward, we’ll hopefully see a transition from the short term disease management opportunity to a more robust disease prevention effect, which will bend the healthcare cost curve while greatly increasing the quality of life for consumers.

Given this rapidly evolving convergence of technology with health and medicine, what do you think are the biggest short-term and long-term health benefits afforded by the digital health super-convergence? Are there any that I missed in the “answer” options (one I thought about subsequently is aging in place)? Will use of genomic information by consumers seeking to prevent disease become mainstream? Please join in the conversation by commenting below and by submitting your own vote in the Digital Health group poll.


 

TAGGED: digital health, digital health benefits, mobile health

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Paul Sonnier July 19, 2012 July 19, 2012
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
Previous Article méridienne
Next Article What Does a Geriatric Social Worker Do?

Stay Connected

1.5k Followers Like
4.5k Followers Follow
2.8k Followers Pin
136k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

Unlocking a Healthier You: Shedding Unwanted Pounds
Weight Loss November 29, 2023
hearing aids
Navigating the World of Hearing Aids with Confidence
Wellness November 29, 2023
find affordable hearing aids
Finding Quality Affordable Hearing Aids That Fit Your Lifestyle
Wellness November 29, 2023
Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty 101: 6 Factors To Consider Before Going Under The Knife
Surgery November 29, 2023

You Might also Like

healthcare business website
Technology

Choosing the Right Domain Name for Your Healthcare Business

November 27, 2023
healthcare software development
Technology

Shaping the Future of Healthcare Software Development

November 23, 2023
Modern Health Practices
Medical Innovations

What Does Science Say About Modern Health Practices?

November 12, 2023
medical software
Technology

How Medical Spa Software Is Revolutionizing Holistic Healthcare

November 1, 2023
Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Follow US
© 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?