Shared decision drives forward patient experience

Mia Española

In an effort to better understand the evolving digital health landscape, we researched 3000 persons within the Germanic and Nordic countries. This study was intended to document patient journeys believes and investigates their attitudes, behaviours, and expectations towards health self-management, data sharing, and digital health service monetization.

Key insights summary

1. A prevailing desire for self-management of health, hampered by a lack of trusted resources.

2. An increasing willingness to share health-related data despite concerns over data management.

3. An expectation for free digital health services, sparking a need for innovative business models.

People's desire to manage their own health

• A. General trend towards health literacy and self-management

  People are becoming proactive players in their health journeys. The rise of health literacy, particularly among younger generations, shows that they are not just interested in their health, but actively seeking to understand and manage it.

• B. Trust issues with current digital resources

  Despite this growing health consciousness, there appears to be a deficit of trustworthy digital resources. People are struggling to find reliable, evidence-based information that they feel comfortable utilizing for their health decisions.

• C. Health dissatisfaction among the under-45s

  With 71% of under-45s expressing dissatisfaction with their current health and 69% seeking online health resources, there's a clear demand for more reliable digital health tools.

• D. The call to action for health leaders

  Given these trends, health leaders need to:

  • Embrace a human-centric, holistic perspective: Health is more than just medicine; it is a holistic journey encompassing various aspects of an individual's life. Digital health services should therefore not just focus on disease management but also promote proactive health and well-being.

  • Collaborate with trusted health information sources: Partnering with healthcare providers and health insurance companies to provide trusted, reliable information can bridge the trust gap and promote the usage of digital health tools.

This presents an exciting opportunity to empower individuals in their health journeys, driving towards a healthier future. And you, as health leaders, are perfectly poised to play a pivotal role in this transformation.

Availability and willingness to share health-related data

Trend towards health tracking and data sharing - Our survey reveals that people are progressively tracking various aspects of their health, from daily physical activity to sleep patterns. Encouragingly, they also demonstrate a willingness to share this data under the right circumstances.

Data tracking particularly among under-45s - Particularly interesting is the trend among younger generations, with 59% of under-45s currently tracking various health metrics. Despite an overall 23% unwillingness to share data, the majority are aware of its value and potential benefits when managed appropriately

These trends call for leaders in health to:

• Embrace the role of a data and AI pioneer: With the plethora of health data available, there is an opportunity to derive meaningful insights to improve individual health outcomes. Leveraging the power of AI can help transform this data into actionable interventions.

• Safeguard users' data trust: While users understand the power of their health data, they also value their privacy and trust. It is crucial for data handlers to be transparent and secure in their data management practices.

Expectations of free digital health services and the need for creative business models

• A. General expectation for free health services

  Our survey indicated a widespread expectation for free digital health services. Despite the undeniable value these services bring, users are reluctant to pay for them directly.

• B. Resistance to pay for health apps

  The resistance to paying for health apps is strong, with 56% of all respondents stating that they would not pay for a health app.

• C. Willingness to pay among under-45s

  However, there is a glimmer of hope. When we focus on the under-40s, the resistance decreases to 34%, showing an emerging willingness to pay for these services among younger users.

• D. Acceptance of prescription apps

  Additionally, acceptance of prescription apps shows promise for new business models. A significant 55% of respondents said they would use a health app if it was provided on prescription by a healthcare provider.

• E. Call to action for health leaders

  These trends call for health leaders to:

  • Explore creative business models: Given the resistance to pay for apps, it's time for health leaders to think outside the box. Creative business models that provide value and clear communication on the benefits of these services will be key.

  • Leverage healthcare provider support for app use (DIGAS): Collaborating with healthcare providers who can offer apps on prescription may also be a viable route. This could pave the way for wider acceptance and use of digital health services.

These insights serve as a beacon, guiding health leaders towards a future where digital health is not just accessible, but also impactful, driving a collective journey towards a healthier future.

How can CW1 help?

Improve your patient-centric strategy: An all-encompassing method is employed by CW1, merging efficient, agile software creation, patient-focused design of health applications, and machine learning competencies. This aids businesses in curating a patient-oriented health journey, offering customized and pertinent digital health services that equip users with accurate information at every step. Additionally, this enables services to be inclusive of a varied demographic, such as those not accustomed to digital platforms.

Practice a platform-driven ecosystem practice: As a crucial participant in the digital health ecosystem, CW1 ensures that health apps are constructed adhering to the strictest privacy and security standards, and aids in the scaling of prototypes to an industrial level. CW1 is positioned to aid health organisations in developing new solutions by reshaping their strategy, forming partnerships with reliable ecosystem participants, like healthcare providers and insurers, to deliver digital services and products that provide genuine value and meet user requirements.

Readiness in Technical, Organizational, and Cultural Aspects: CW1 assists organisations in enhancing their preparedness, by making use of APIs, secure data platforms, and agile innovative methodologies to swiftly roll out solutions that are not hindered by traditional architectural barriers and conform to medical standards like IEC 62366, IEC 62304, and ISO 13485.

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