COVID-19 Digital Health navigator: Where to find solutions for the general population?
As the number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to rise across the globe, governments, healthcare providers, and businesses are establishing drastic measures to manage the outbreak of the virus. At the same time, digital health industry has seen active mobilisation to meet the increased demand for digital care and support the management of COVID19. Health technology is seen as a huge contributor to overcoming the crisis. Here we give an overview of the utilisation of digital health during coronavirus and signpost readers to apps that help the general population and patients manage their health and wellbeing.
Governments and health care systems have announced numerous funds to help accelerate health technology implementation (e.g. TechForce) in UK) and we see COVID19 specific app libraries being established to help signpost people to relevant self-management tools. With the access to medical care changing almost on every level, it is more important than ever to help patients take care of their health during isolation and social distancing. Health innovation companies are playing a front-line role in helping to fight the novel coronavirus by providing solutions and services that expand access to care (Frontiers Health).
According to a white paper by Research2Guidance, digital health can support population/patient health in 6 key areas:
Education and prevention: Reducing the number of infections, panic prevention
Triage and testing: Efficiently managing testing capacities
Tracking and tracing: Enforcing quarantine and slowing down the disease spreading
Quarantine management: Supporting and monitoring patients during their isolation
In-hospital management: Reducing the number of direct HCP contacts, diminishing HCPs’ and caregivers’ workload, improving hygiene
Post-care management: Patient monitoring and research support
Author: Research2Guidance
A useful resource for the general population to find safe and evaluated health apps is ORCHA health app library. ORCHA has created numerous lists according to population groups where they give an overview of apps that can help with health-management, remote-monitoring and staying healthy. For example, in a post for adults, they highlight apps that can help with conditions such as anxiety, heart conditions, diabetes; additionally managing the well-being of children. This week ORCHA also included a list for the elderly. ORCHA is a good place to start as all the listed applications have been previously assessed and evaluated by experts in their team - the recommendations are based on the highest quality solutions.
In addition, there are several independent calls for digital health solutions that can support the COVID-19 crisis. For example, TicBioMed is looking for technologies already available in the market that can help to manage the healthcare crisis that Coronavirus has created. The aim is to gather the tools to a free online platform: eHealth Hub Platform, the map of European eHealth. Triumf Health has submitted our solution for kids to the portal.
Catalyst @ Health 2.0, a digital health ecosystem builder that exists to forge strategic partnerships between innovators and companies interested in new healthcare technology has also responded to COVID19 by creating a specific network of digital tools that are relevant to managing the virus. Categories include testing, behavioural/mental health, diagnostics, data visualisation, educational initiatives, and more. You can also find Triumf’s health app there under Behavioural Health.
Similarly, Startup Health has set up a COVID-19 Navigator where almost 150 health technology are listed that can have either direct or indirect impact on the crisis both from healthcare provider and population/patient health management perspective.
As a summary, StartUs Insights has created a comprehensive overview of all the ways health technology can tackle the Coronavirus Pandemic:
We hope everyone stays safe during this critial time and encourage everyone to actively take care of their mental and physical well-being to ensure we can come out of the crisis strong and happy. If you are a parent or a health care professional working with children, you can access Triumf health game (COVID-19 pathway) for kids for free during the virus. Get in touch kaari@triumf.health.