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.