Digital Therapeutics: How Software Can Treat Diseases

Digital therapeutics is coming across as a revolution in digital healthcare. Delivering evidence-based therapies to patients via software is as unique as it can be.

Also, advances in software program development technology - with adjuncts like AI - have expanded the scope for this revolutionary concept.

A branch different from telemedicine, digital therapeutics began as an active contributor to academia and research.

Let us see how digital therapeutic solutions work together with conventional therapies to enhance health outcomes in multiple use cases.

Use case #1: Digital therapeutics for diabetes mellitus treatment

There has always existed a need for rapid point-of-care management for diabetes patients. Digital therapeutics enable such care and provide a mechanism to deliver personalized treatment.

Additionally, digital therapeutics seems to be the only method of delivering comprehensive diabetes treatment equitably across countries.

Because with the diabetic patient population jumping by 129.7% in the last two decades, physical examination and treatment methods will never suffice.

Besides, software-based treatment for diabetes mellitus has provisions for regular glycemic status monitoring. They include:

• behavioral interventions,

• risk factor modifications,

• lifestyle changes,

• real-time feedback, etc.

Use case #2: Digital therapeutics for congestive heart failure management

Therapeutic software with wearable sensors can detect congestive heart failure attacks quite accurately. AI and ML can identify abnormal heart pumping patterns or electrical activity suggestive of any pathology.

Here's when clinicians can make prognoses and select the most suitable candidates for surgical and non-surgical treatment.

Plus, the role of digital therapeutics in the treatment phase of congestive heart failure is remarkable. The practitioners can consistently track surgical recovery. They can monitor how consistently the patient takes the medications and the adaptability of the heart to the surgical changes.

Use case #3: Digital therapeutics for Oncology

Once cancer-related treatment regimens begin, the patient must manage symptoms and treatment-related side effects without supervision. But drugs trigger immunotoxicity, and patients can make errors in administration, leading to severe consequences.

Here's where the patient's adherence to prescribed practices needs to increase, and digital therapeutics ensure just that. It enables supportive care to improve the outcomes of cancer treatment.

The shortage of oncology services of this nature makes matters worse for recovering patients. So exploring the digital therapeutic way is a viable alternative.

Use case #4: Digital therapeutics for interventions in neurology

Sensorimotor loss in neuronal populations is a prevalent complaint.

With digital therapeutics, patients can get the right stimulus for better sensorimotor recovery. And VR (virtual reality) has been significantly helpful in such neurological matters.

Digital therapeutics present interactive motion-based environments to neurological patients. It is a great rehab setting for those struggling with motor planning, control, and execution.

Use case #5: Digital therapeutics for mental health

You cannot undermine the definite role of digital therapeutics as a supportive adjunct to traditional therapy. This particular attribute of digital therapeutics is most beneficial for mental health programs.

Besides, by providing personalized attention to patients along with convenience and confidentiality, digital therapeutics cater to the shortage of adequate mental health support for patients.

The bottom line

Research backs the role of digital therapeutics in delivering evidence-based treatments to patients more approachably.

It has led to an exponential increase in digital therapeutics use cases across the globe. In fact, the commercialization of digital therapeutics has already gained momentum. Now it'll be interesting to see how the scope of practice can increase in digital therapeutics in the coming days.