Digital health

Digital health is a broad category of technologies targeting various steps across the patient journey. They typically address (1) disease prevention, (2) improvement of treatment outcomes, or (3) support of healthcare providers in delivering better medical services, for instance by enhancing professional trainings or providing EHR integration.. Using our proprietary approach and insights, we help shape the future of Health and create a positive impact for patients, HCPs, and society more broadly.

In the last couple of years, the growth rate of digital health has accelerated substantially, and digital health solutions have become ubiquitous. There are about 50k digital health startups, and while venture funding has been reduced recently, there is notable progress, with a maturing view on what creates value.

Digital health apps range from platforms for services such as virtual doctor appointments and chronic-disease management to consumer health apps that assist individuals in managing their health by tracking daily steps and providing access to exercise and nutrition programs. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital health applications, which could contribute to the development of a preventative, digital-first Future of Health^TM.

We observe that digital solutions vary substantially across the digital health landscape. Digital therapeutics (DTx) are software-based products with a demonstrated clinical benefit that are used to prevent, manage, and treat health conditions. DTx intervene directly in the service of human health and can fully replace conventional treatments.

Digital companion products provide services in conjunction with the administration of conventional therapies. These solutions provide patients with insights to improve medication adherence and health outcomes, manage symptoms and side effects, and enhance their therapeutic experience. Companions can also assist caregivers and physicians in patient monitoring and treatment decision-making.

Digital diagnostics utilize digital technology to increase the value of diagnostic data, for example by collecting and analyzing comprehensive, longitudinal, and multisource data sets. They can facilitate the early diagnosis of patients and enhance the efficacy of treatment. Digital diagnostics solutions may also provide access to real-time clinical data and real-world evidence. Employed properly, Digital Therapeutics, Digital Companions, and Digital Diagnostics solutions offer businesses new opportunities to transform the delivery of health care.

How Deloitte can help:

Deloitte provides a comprehensive service offering, assisting clients in understanding the key drivers of the digital health landscape and seizing opportunities that drives business outcomes. We accelerate the rate at which our clients can bring digital health solutions and portfolios to market and help them scale their solutions. We help develop winning strategies, build future focused capabilities, and scale innovative offerings, while incorporating regulatory implications and cyber security by design. Our approach to co-create, design, build, go-to-market and scale digital health offerings and operating models assists our clients in establishing innovation leadership and sustainable best practices.