The Digital Health Puzzle

Digital health, to be successful, needs to be both vertically and horizontally integrated and be a component of a complete digical (brick and mortar and digital delivery) care solution.

Vertical integration means the different, presently smoke stacked solutions, like telemedicine, social media, patient portals, decision support and analytics, and artificial intelligence all work together and interact in one interface.

Horizontal integration means that the vertically integrated pieces interface with the EMRs, revenue cycle management software, back-office processes and external health information interchanges using data interoperability platforms.

Finally, the digital health ecosystem should be equitably accessible without a digital divide.

At present, there are few, if any, total digital health solutions for many legal, regulatory, business, IP and reimbursement reasons. As those barriers fall, we can then evolve from a doctor driven, fee for service sick care system into a more patient centric, bundled payment healthcare system.

In addition, the creation of a total solution is merely the first step. Engaging patients and doctors will be a herculean task that makes using EMRs seem like a chip shot.

Digital health is an ever-changing experiment. In some respects, we are trying to fit a square peg in a round hole hoping that, with enough friction, we can wear off the edges until it fits. Let's hope that day comes sooner than later and that we will all be able to know 15 Across: an 11 letter work for "works together a part of a complete eCare solution"

Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA is the President and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs and Substack and Editor of Digital Health Entrepreneurship