Technology's Potential in Revolutionizing Long-Term Disease Control
Managing chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and arthritis, is a significant challenge for primary care providers. Can digital health technology, including remote monitoring, mobile health apps, and wearables, help primary care and internal medicine specialists offer better care for these patients?
In the United States, over half of adults have at least one chronic health condition, and treatment for these conditions accounts for an impressive 86% of healthcare costs.
With an abundance of digital health options available, such as Fitbits, activity trackers, and various mHealth apps, the question arises: Are any of these tools valuable for healthcare professionals?
When consulting primary care and internal medicine specialists about their utilization of digital health technology in their practice and its potential for revolutionizing chronic disease management, it became clear that new technology has significant potential. However, several barriers hamper its widespread adoption by both clinicians and patients.
Remote Monitoring: Enabling Early Intervention
Primary care providers (PCPs) generally consider remote monitoring, where patients' vital signs and symptoms are continuously tracked, an attractive option. It allows early intervention when symptoms are detected and encourages patient engagement in the monitoring process.
One of the most successful digital tools currently in use is heart failure management, which uses data directly transmitted from an implanted sensor to a healthcare professional. This information helps healthcare providers adjust medication, recommend lifestyle changes, suggest additional clinic visits, or advise emergency room visits when necessary. Clinical trials have demonstrated that remote monitoring is highly effective in reducing hospitalizations for patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices.
Patient-Facing Apps: Empowering Patients
Approximately 77% of all U.S. adults own smartphones, making mobile technology an appealing solution for chronic disease management. Patient-facing health apps can empower individuals to become more proactive in their healthcare by allowing them to monitor their symptoms and conditions.
Currently, there are about 259,000 mHealth apps available, with a significant percentage targeting consumers with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic heart disease, and depression. Diabetes is viewed as the therapy field with the most potential for mHealth apps. In clinical trials, patients with type 2 diabetes who used a monitoring app showed a greater reduction in HbA1c compared to those who did not.
Wearable Trackers: The Future of Chronic Disease Management?
Wearable technology and devices are at the forefront of exciting developments in digital health. These tools, including portable cardiac monitors, EKGs, sleep cycle analyzers, and glucose monitors, have the potential to revolutionize access to care and convenience.
Wearable activity trackers, such as FitBits, have become immensely popular, although their role in illness and recovery remains unclear. While their use has increased in the U.S., Australia, and the United Kingdom, a substantial number of users abandon these devices due to lack of effectiveness or commitment.
Despite the controversy surrounding wearable activity trackers, their potential in terms of improved access to care and convenience cannot be denied. Wearable technology can provide real-time results to healthcare providers and facilitate increased expert input, possibly changing the way we approach chronic diseases and treatment.
Barriers to Adoption
All physicians contacted expressed concern about the lack of access to technology among underserved populations, particularly low-income families. Additionally, older adults, who are most likely to have multiple chronic conditions, are being poorly served by digital health. To address these concerns, it is essential to frame new technology as a means to enhance patient care, make it easy to understand and use, and communicate any potential impact on routine procedures.
In conclusion, digital health technologies show significant promise for improving the management of chronic diseases. However, several barriers must be addressed to ensure widespread adoption by both healthcare professionals and patients and maximize their potential for transforming chronic disease care.
- A nutritionist might recommend using devices like Fitbits and activity trackers to help patients with chronic conditions monitor their fitness levels and dietary intake more effectively.
- Advances in science and technology have led to the development of remote monitoring devices, such as cardiac monitors and glucose monitors, which are particularly beneficial for patients with chronic diseases like heart disease or type 2 diabetes.
- Medical-conditions, such as heart failure, can be better managed through the use of technology, like implanted sensors that transmit data directly to a healthcare professional for analysis and appropriate treatment.
- Technology, such as patient-facing health apps and wearable devices, can play a crucial role in the self-management of chronic diseases by enabling patients to monitor their conditions, engage in their care, and make informed decisions about their medical-conditions and treatment options.
