Public Health - Santé Publique

The recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic underscored the effectiveness and rapid deployment of digital public health interventions, notably the digital proximity tracing apps, leveraging Bluetooth capabilities to trace and notify users about potential infection exposures.

 

Digital proximity tracings showcased the promise of digital public health.

 

As the world pivots from pandemic responses, it becomes imperative to address noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) that account for a vast majority of health care expenses and premature disability-adjusted life years lost.

 

The narrative of digital transformation in the realm of NCD public health is distinct from infectious diseases.

 

The power of artificial intelligence (AI) in this digital transformation is noteworthy.

 

• AI can automate repetitive tasks, facilitating health care providers to prioritize personal interactions, especially those that cannot be digitalized like emotional support.


• Moreover, AI presents tools for individuals to be proactive in their health management. However, the human touch remains irreplaceable;


• AI serves as a companion guiding through the health care landscape.

 

Digital evolution, while revolutionary, poses its own set of challenges.

 

Issues of equity and access are at the forefront. Vulnerable populations, whether due to economic constraints, geographical barriers, or digital illiteracy, face the threat of being marginalized further.

 

This transformation mandates an inclusive strategy, focusing on not amplifying existing health disparities but eliminating them.

 

Population-level digital interventions in NCD prevention demand societal agreement.

 

Policies, like smoking bans or sugar taxes, though effective, might affect those not directly benefiting. Hence, all involved parties, from policy makers to the public, should have a balanced perspective on the advantages, risks, and expenses of these digital shifts.

 

For a successful digital shift in public health, especially concerning NCDs, AI’s potential to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, user experience, and equity—the “quadruple aim”—is undeniable.

 

However, it is vital that AI-driven initiatives in public health domains remain purposeful, offering improvements without compromising other objectives.

 

The broader success of digital public health hinges on transparent benchmarks and criteria, ensuring maximum benefits without sidelining minorities or vulnerable groups.

 

Especially in population-centric decisions, like resource allocation, AI’s ability to avoid bias is paramount.

 

Therefore, the continuous involvement of stakeholders, including patients and minority groups, remains pivotal in the progression of AI-integrated digital public health.

 

read the original paper at https://publichealth.jmir.org/2024/1/e49575/

 

Lire l'article complet sur : publichealth.jmir.org

Via nrip

The Obama administration’s reforms created a golden age for digital healthcare entrepreneurs and investors alike.

 

Whatever your stance on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there’s little doubt that it has been responsible for ushering into the U.S. healthcare system a new era of technology. The controversial law ignited an explosion of new digital health offerings, and set the entire healthcare system on a path of advancement that will continue to extend access and increase the quality of healthcare administration for years to come.

 

The ACA’s Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) provisions created tens of billions of dollars in incentives for healthcare providers to implement federally approved IT systems. These systems, known widely as electronic health records (EHRs), were key to healthcare reform and created the strongest platform to date for digital health innovation.

 

While EHRs faced significant barriers to adoption, namely resistance from physicians trained for years to document patients using pen and paper, they came with the promise of faster and more efficient care. For those not swayed by financial incentives and the improvement of patient care, the government baked in penalties for noncompliance.

 

Obamacare’s incentive scheme was strikingly effective. Today, 96 percent of hospitals across the country have adopted EHRs. In 2009, before the ACA had been passed, only 12 percent of hospitals had adopted them, reporting up-front cost and maintenance expense, uncertain return on investment and inconsistent IT systems as the biggest barriers to adoption.

 

Despite their rapid EHR adoption, healthcare providers have faced challenges along the way. Many EHR systems are not interoperable, preventing patients from seamlessly transitioning between different facilities and departments. Furthermore, security is a concern; 113 million individuals were affected by EHR breaches in 2015. Nonetheless, these challenges opened the door for a thriving ecosystem owing its existence to the ACA and President Obama: healthcare IT entrepreneurs.

Via Pharma Guy