Digital Health bits | November 11th 2020
Note: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer
Digital Health Apps In Europe — The Road To Reimbursement Goes Through Security
Mobile digital health applications store sensitive and personal data, from pulse rate, sleep rhythm records to medication plans, as well as medical prescriptions and certificates. They connect users to appropriate services and act as communication hubs. A compromised smartphone can unintentionally disclose the entire digital life of a patient or user. Thus, establishing suitable security standards for mobile applications is critical.
Two European countries have been leading the way in developing minimum security requirements for digital health applications. In December 2019, Germany introduced the Digital Healthcare Act, which allows physicians to prescribe digital health applications and patients to seek reimbursement from health insurers for apps that meet certain criteria. Beyond assessing the digital health app for safety and suitability for use, Germany’s Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) performs an extensive evaluation of data protection, information security and quality, and interoperability. There is an explicit requirement of a state-of-the art implementation of data protection and information security, in which the manufacturer must consider the risks involved in using the digital health app. In April 2020, the German Federal Office for IT Security (BSI), published draft technical guidelines on Security Requirements for Digital Health Applications, providing a minimum set of requirements for safe operation of digital health apps.
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Mind The App: Psychology-Powered Wellness Platform Noom Is Helping People Shed Pandemic Pounds
Introduced in 2008, Noom is a psychologically-rooted digital health and wellness program that has been downloaded 50 million times in more than 100 countries. Available for Apple and Android phones, it has since been ranked the number one health and wellness program out of 800 by the University of Sydney Medical Center and dubbed, the “Weight Watchers for Millennials.”
The company doesn’t love the comparison. Not because it has beef with WW, but because they believe “there isn’t anything else quite like Noom,” according to its chief psychology officer Andreas Michaelides. (Important to note that both apps have a personal coaching component.)
Michaelides says the basic premise is pretty straightforward: Noom, he says, “helps people develop positive habits and attitudes and a healthier relationship with food for positive health outcomes. Noom acts like a guide, helping people make healthier choices,” he tells Rolling Stone. “We see weight management as a benefit of a healthy, active lifestyle. With 86 percent of adults predicted to be overweight or obese in the U.S. by 2030, it was a great place to start [in order] to help as many people as possible.”
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ResMed launches new sleep education campaign
ResMed, a global leader in digital health and connected sleep and respiratory care devices, today announced the launch of a new sleep education campaign, #WakeUpToGoodSleep. Conceptualized to underscore the importance of sleep quality for overall well being, the campaign aims to highlight the growing and largely unidentified sleep disorders in India and the treatment options available.
Today, millions of Indians suffer from sleeping disorders, with the majority of them being undetected. Over one million Indians suffer from sleep apnea alone, according to a 2019 Lancet Respiratory Medicine study. Left untreated, sleeping disorders have detrimental consequences on our mental and physical well-being including heart attacks, diabetes, depression, amongst others, making it imperative to raise awareness on sleeping disorders.
The campaign aims to raise awareness amongst consumers and doctors about the health benefits and importance of good sleep. As part of the campaign, ResMed launched a short educational film that showcases sleep apnea, a relatively unknown sleep disorder, and its effects such as fatigue, mental stress, irritability, and even traffic accidents, to reiterate the importance of a good night’s sleep.
To ensure patients can enjoy a good night’s sleep, ResMed has also introduced a sleep coach assistant service, consisting of a team of coaches who remotely guide patients through every step of their journey to better sleep.
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Mymee's clinical trial demonstrates health-related quality of life improvements in lupus patients
Nov 9 2020: Mymee Inc., the leading digital health company that empowers those who suffer from autoimmune disease to reclaim their health, today announced the publication of it’s study assessing the Mymee Program as adjunct care in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR). The study demonstrated that the Mymee Program resulted in statistically significant, clinically meaningful improvements in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) when added to usual care in patients with lupus.
The Mymee Program combines an intuitive consumer mobile app, data analytics, and certified health coaches to identify triggers for disease symptoms and modify behavior to improve health.
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Digital stethoscope and cardio health algorithm startup Eko pulls in $65M Series C
November 09, 2020: This morning, digital cardiopulmonary health startup Eko pulled back the curtain on $65 million in new funding. The Series C raise was headed by Capital Partners and Questa Capital, and also saw participation from Artis Ventures, DigiTx Partners, NTTVC, 3M Ventures and other investors.
Based in Oakland, California, Eko is known for combining ECG-enabled digital stethoscope devices with monitoring and analysis algorithms. These tools are designed to help providers detect heart rhythm abnormalities and a range of other heart diseases, and to support the company's recently launched telehealth platform.
Within the past few months, Eko has announced collaborations with AstraZeneca, to develop early detection and screening digital tools, and with 3M Littmann Stethoscopes to launch a new line of analog/digital hybrid stethoscopes. The company now boasts a lifetime capital raise of more than $90 million.
Eko said in the announcement that these funds would help the company expand use of its telehealth and screening algorithm within the clinic, and also support the launch of an at-home cardiopulmonary monitoring program.
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Philips’ Future Health Index reveals the vital role of technology to engage young healthcare workers
9 November 2020: Now in its fifth year, the annual Philips Future Health Index has today announced the publication of its Future Health Index (FHI) 2020 report: ‘The age of opportunity: Empowering the next generation to transform healthcare’ in Australia. The 2020 report is the first large-scale survey of the younger generation of healthcare professionals, capturing feedback from almost 3,000 respondents across 15 countries, including 150 younger healthcare professionals in Australia, and providing a unique perspective into how prepared they believe they are to manage tomorrow’s healthcare.
This year’s report reveals critical insights from this next generation of healthcare professionals under the age of 40, a group that will comprise most of the healthcare workforce over the next 20 years. The report reveals the gap between training and expectations around technological and digital healthcare transformation, as well as the reality of their experiences as younger healthcare professionals. The Future Health Index 2020 report offers guidance to today’s healthcare leaders on empowering this next generation of healthcare professionals to help retain and attract the talent needed to meet the growing demands of modern healthcare.
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#DigitalHealth #Innovation #AI #DigitalTherapeutics #COVID-19
Note: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer