Randomized clinical trials are the gold standard for conducting clinical research. They are, however, fraught with issues and come with burdens to the patient, site and sponsor. Decentralized trials (DCTs) allow for a novel, agile and more cost-effective approach to an industry standard and traditional methodology. Here’s how to determine if a full or hybrid DCT is a good option for your clinical trial.
Numerous studies have explored the challenge of helping patients adhere to their medication regimens. One promising solution is “smart” medication blister packs with embedded sensors that enable caregivers to remotely monitor if—and when—doses are removed. But they can only be used if they are cyber-hardened against today’s dangerous and ever-evolving cybersecurity risks.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the necessity of virtual care and revealed its possibility as a more efficient means of administering treatment in an overwhelmed and understaffed infrastructure. Its fast-paced adoption highlighted the need for global standards and third-party certifications.
Old justifications or business reasons for security gaps are obsolesced. We need robust medical device cybersecurity, but we need it in a manner that is workable by both MDMs and HDOs.
Rapid developments in healthcare technology, combined with improved data collection, pandemic pressures and increased consumer demand for tech-enabled and virtual health care, are fueling innovation and transformation in the digital health space.
The second part of this two-article series on digital therapeutics (DTx) sheds light on challenges faced by the companies in the DTx market and outlines hurdles that must be overcome to achieve success.
The AHRQ brief proposes a framework to assess the risk/safety, technical functionality and mental health features of apps. The framework can be used by advocacy organizations, payers, healthcare systems and others to inform selection of mental health mobile apps.
Digital therapeutics (DTx) have the potential to lower healthcare costs and improve patient compliance, outcomes and access to care. In the first part of this two-article series we look at the current and potential applications for this growing sector of digital health as well as key considerations for technology developers.
Both legacy players and startups have an important role to play when it comes to medical innovation—they need to work together to meet the increasing demand for minimally invasive treatments, value-based care and innovative, not incremental therapies. This is a mutually beneficial relationship that is key to medical technology development.
Combining imaging technology with artificial intelligence can help address both challenges in healthcare disparities as well as in patient care.
