Tag: digital health

At PDD we like to keep one eye on the horizon, scanning themes and emerging trends across the healthcare sector to understand what’s next. As the rise of digital health and therapeutics continues, we take a look at what this means for the patient experience and what opportunities lie in the area of self-care and self-management.

How can telehealth enable patient autonomy?

A snapshot view of future opportunities

Over the past two years, telehealth has seen exponential growth, accelerated by the pandemic and a need to keep people safe and healthy in their homes. Whilst the use of digital information and communication technology to access healthcare services remotely was something we were already seeing, the pandemic turned this into a necessity, not a luxury; and did so practically overnight.

Over the last year, connected technologies have become even more prevalent in healthcare. At a time when visiting a hospital has become increasingly difficult for patients, apps and software-enabled devices have become useful tools to facilitate access to services and self-care.

In this article, Marlies Havenith – Senior Consultant – Human Factors & Usability at PDD – explains why, as connectivity continues to permeate healthcare environments, keeping users at the centre is now more imperative than ever. 

In recent years, wearables have started to play a pivotal role in the lives of patients. From the management of chronic conditions to making sure that we drink enough water, wearable and mobile devices are revolutionising the way that healthcare occurs.

Mobile phone software applications are a ubiquitous part of society. In 2018, there were estimated to be 205.4 billion smartphone health app downloads (worldwide). In 2021 this figure is expected to rise to over 352.9 billion.

Dr Chris Vincent, Human Factors & Ergonomics Principal at PDD, joined the conversation on beta testing at the Human Factors for Medical Devices workshop which took place at the Museum of London earlier this June.

A look at how medical device and pharma companies can cut through complex issues and big data to develop well-targeted medical adherence solutions.

PDD’s Graham Lacy attended the Digital Health and Wearable Technology Shows at Excel. This twinned exhibition showcases recent innovations in connected devices for the healthcare and wellness industry as well as wearable technologies from other categories.