Leveraging digital health for global chronic diseases

Abstract

Management of chronic diseases requires effective modalities for screening, prevention, and treatment of these conditions. At the core of chronic disease manage- ment is the need to effectively use health information for decision-making. In general, when the right information is availed to the right person at the right time, the right decisions will likely be made. Digital technologies offer the potential to significantly transform delivery of chronic disease care by putting the power of information in the hands of patients, providers, and decision makers. Beyond the use of computers, mobile technologies, and the internet, digital health also encompasses wearable devices, sensors, Web 2.0 technologies, and genomic data, among others [1]. The global application of digital technologies is increasing, but utilization has not been optimized. Oftentimes, stakeholders who would benefit from these technologies are unaware of their potential to transform care. Further, many potential users get paralyzed by the complexities of implementing digital health systems within already complex health care environments. In this paper, we provide: 1) a high-level overview of some common applications of digital health for chronic disease care that are relevant in the global setting; 2) some guiding principles for adoption of digital health care; and 3) demonstration of a use case of these principles within a resource-limited setting in Western Kenya.