by José Luis Cárdenas Tomažič

Adapted from the Spanish column originally published in El Economista on August 27th, 2023 (Salud Digital: Su rol en el Acceso a Medicamentos)

Today, the term “digital health” has become a beacon illuminating the horizon of modern healthcare and is currently one of the focal areas of the World Health Organization. This concept encompasses a range of technologies and applications that use digital information to improve health and well-being.

Some estimates suggest that the digital health market will reach USD 780 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 16.1%, although growth is particularly concentrated in developed countries.

A key component of digital health is “datafication,” which involves converting clinical and health data into digital formats, enabling efficient storage, analysis, and sharing. As digital health gradually permeates every corner of healthcare, its influence on access to medicines is becoming increasingly evident and significant.

Indeed, one of the most pressing challenges in healthcare is equitable access to medicines, and digital health offers tools to optimize the use of resources destined for pharmacological treatments. It contributes to disease prevention and the promotion of healthy lifestyles through mobile applications and devices that track habits and health data, allowing individuals to make informed decisions and adopt behaviors that reduce the need for pharmaceutical treatments—an objective in itself. This is especially relevant in the context of primary healthcare and the prevention of non-communicable diseases.

If a disease cannot be prevented, digital health also contributes to early diagnosis. Artificial intelligence algorithms analyze large volumes of clinical and biomedical data to identify patterns indicating the presence of diseases in their early stages, thereby improving treatment success rates. This ability to anticipate health problems enables earlier intervention, before medicines—especially high-cost ones—become the only alternative.

Once a disease is diagnosed, adherence to therapy is another crucial factor for its effectiveness. This is where digital health shines even more. Automated reminders, remote monitoring, and interactive applications encourage consistency in medication intake, increasing the likelihood of positive outcomes. In addition, digital health allows healthcare professionals to monitor patient adherence in real time, facilitating adjustments when necessary.

Take asthma as an example. Digital health can predict crises and exacerbations by analyzing data such as heart rate, sleep quality, and breathing patterns. By combining this data with environmental factors, such as air quality, healthcare systems can alert patients and medical professionals about the imminence of an asthma attack, enabling preventive measures and early treatment.

This connects to personalized medicine, an approach that tailors treatments to the individual characteristics of each patient, which has become more attainable thanks to digital health. The ability to collect and analyze large volumes of patient data allows physicians to make more informed decisions and design targeted treatments, improving effectiveness and reducing side effects.

Another area where digital health contributes is in the economic evaluation of health technologies. By collecting data on effectiveness, costs, and outcomes of different treatment approaches, more informed decisions can be made regarding the efficient allocation of resources.

Finally, among many areas where digital health plays a relevant role, it is also worth highlighting its contribution to combating the “infodemic,” such as those observed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite these evident and numerous advantages, the adoption of digital health in healthcare systems remains surprisingly slow. Why, despite its tangible benefits, has it not expanded more rapidly? The challenges are varied: data privacy concerns, lack of adequate technological infrastructure, resistance to change among healthcare professionals, and the initial investment required, among others.

To move decisively toward digital health, healthcare systems must focus on addressing these challenges. This includes investing in robust technological infrastructure, implementing effective regulatory frameworks for data protection, and promoting continuous training for healthcare professionals. Furthermore, collaboration among governments, healthcare institutions, and technology companies is essential to overcome these barriers.

According to the Digital Health Index, the countries ranking highest in digital health are Estonia, followed by Canada, Denmark, Israel, and Spain—countries from which much can be learned. The level of progress is also analyzed by the Digital Health Monitor.

In conclusion, digital health emerges as a vital enabler of effective, efficient, and equitable access to medicines, optimizing their use. From early diagnosis to disease prevention and personalized medicine, its potential is vast. Despite existing obstacles, it is imperative that healthcare systems come together to expand and embrace digital health. Only by doing so can we aspire to a future where technology promotes the health and well-being of people worldwide.