Strategies to Address Health Inequalities with Digital Tools

𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘀! A recent paper published in Nature Medicine finds that personalized, AI-enabled self-referral chatbots “increased referrals (15% increase versus 6% increase in control services). Critically, this increase was particularly pronounced in minorities, such as nonbinary (179% increase) and ethnic minority individuals (29% increase).” As the researchers highlight, “this provides strong evidence that digital tools may help overcome the pervasive inequality in mental healthcare.” While further research is essential before these tools can be widely adopted, it's precisely this kind of valuable, 𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙧-𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙚𝙙 evidence that will aid healthcare practitioners in developing a mature and secure AI-powered future. (Link to the source in the comments.)

I recently sat down with Evan Kirstel and Mark Daly of Digital Diagnostics to discuss one of the most transformative tools in modern healthcare: Luminetics Core. This autonomous AI solution detects diabetic retinopathy directly in the primary care office. This isn’t just about tech. It’s about solving a human problem: lack of access. ✅ A diagnosis in under 60 seconds ✅ Results shared immediately with the patient ✅ No need for a specialist referral ✅ Better follow-up. Better outcomes. Even more inspiring? Digital Diagnostics leads with ethics-first AI, equity in development, and a commitment to augmenting (not replacing) physicians. From rural clinics in Ohio to AI-powered screening rooms in Saudi Arabia, this is what innovation in action looks like. And it’s just the beginning—with oculomics and cardiovascular risk detection on the horizon. 🔗 Read the full article: #AI #Healthcare #DiabeticRetinopathy #HealthEquity #DigitalHealth #PointOfCare #EthicalAI #Innovation #HealthTech

Did you know that digital tools offer great promise for maternal health empowerment? In fact, our recent Maternal Health and Digital Tools Survey found that 70% of women who had a pregnancy in the last two years were using digital tools to address specific health care needs, from scheduling an appointment to managing weight and nutrition. However, racial inequities are holding back their full potential. Our survey found that racially and ethnically diverse respondents were 2x as likely to say that digital tools for maternal health were not suited to their personal needs or their cultural backgrounds. Reducing costs, improving health system integration, involving users in the tool design, and simplifying the range of solutions available are ways to help make digital tools more accessible. Thank you Heather M. Nelson, Margaret Punch, Jay Bhatt, Mani Keita Fakeye, PhD, and Christine D. Chang for collaborating with me on this purposeful and impactful research. https://deloi.tt/3vGfy4N #HealthEquity #MaternalHealth #HealthCare #Deloitte

We Have the 🛠️ Tools. The Potential 💡 Is Clear. Let’s Rethink ❤️🩹Cardiovascular Care ❤️🩹at Scale. A compelling review by Aline Pedroso, PhD and Rohan Khera in Nature Portfolio’s Cardiovascular Health. Great outline on how AI-powered wearables, PPG/ECG sensors, point-of-care ultrasound, and edge-AI models can and are transforming cardiovascular care—extending reach, reducing friction, and bringing precision to the front lines. 👉 Article: https://lnkd.in/eCNVj8_F Why this matters: ✅Community-based detection of arrhythmias and structural heart disease is feasible now. ✅Multimodal sensor + AI fusion improves prediction, risk stratification, and monitoring. ✅Cloud and edge tech enable privacy-preserving integration into clinical workflows. ✅Tools like AI-guided echocardiograms with GE HealthCare’s Caption Guidance (FDA-cleared for use by any medical professional) allow earlier, scalable echo screenings—no sonographer required. ✅These shifts are especially powerful in under-resourced or preventive care settings. Call to action for Health Systems, Payers, MedTech and Innovators: 1️⃣ Advance interoperability—connect consumer and bedside data with clinician workflows. 2️⃣ Fund pragmatic RCTs to validate outcomes, not just signal accuracy. 3️⃣ Build reimbursement models that reward early detection and smarter triage. 4️⃣ Design inclusively—this must close gaps, not widen them. 💡 We’re past proof of concept and evolve the platform. Time to implement boldly, equitably, and at scale. #DigitalHealth #AIinHealthcare #CardiovascularCare #HealthEquity #Wearables

As a physician and advocate, I've seen the stark realities of healthcare inequality up close. It's a multifaceted challenge, deeply rooted in socioeconomic disparities, systemic barriers, and historical injustices. Yet, it's not insurmountable. We have the tools, the knowledge, and the collective will to forge a more equitable future in healthcare. The path forward involves a holistic approach: 1️⃣Embrace Preventative Care: Early intervention can prevent conditions from escalating into serious diseases. Community-based health education and accessible preventative services are key. 2️⃣Expand Telehealth: Telehealth can transcend geographic and transportation barriers, making healthcare accessible for all, but we must ensure it's equitably deployed. 3️⃣Diversify the Healthcare Workforce: A workforce that reflects the diversity of the population it serves can improve patient outcomes and trust. 4️⃣Advocate for Policy Change: Systemic change is essential. We need policies that ensure universal healthcare access and tackle the social determinants of health. Change won't happen overnight, but each step brings us closer to a healthcare system defined by its inclusivity and equity. Let's work together to make healthcare a right, not a privilege. #HealthcareEquity #SystemicChange #PreventativeCare #Telehealth #DiversityInMedicine #PolicyChange

📖 Information ecosystem disrupting health, Ex #5: Communities experience multiple vulnerabilities together with health information inequalities 📖 The pursuit of #healthequity is not merely a specialized branch of our professional field. Rather, it is the foundation upon which the practice of public health is built. In public health, our primary goal is to improve health and well-being while preventing disease and disability across entire populations. However, achieving these goals is profoundly influenced by our ability to address unequal health outcomes among different groups. This is why one of the guiding principles in our work is to protect the most vulnerable. What we often see in reality is that populations experiencing one kind of vulnerability are also experiencing others that compound the harm and health outcomes. When we bring into this the perspective of the digital information environment, it impacts across three interconnected elements: 🌸 access to health services and products, 🌸 access to up-to-date quality health informaiton, and  🌸 the trust enjoyed by the govenrment, health system, health workers and service/products they offer. The challenge here is that low level of literacies (information, digital, media and health literacies) interact with social, economic, commercial and health information inequities of users online - and impact health outcomes. ❗ Bottom line ❗ To address vulnerabilities of at-risk populations within the information environment, several strategies are crucial: 🍐 Address Health Information Inequalities: People often rely on digital spaces for sensitive health information they might find embarrassing to discuss in person. Providing accurate, relevant, and respectful digital health information is vital. (And think beyond digital awareness campaigns - the best measure of successful access to health information is when users are remixing, reusing and propagating the healthy message on their own.) 🍐 Enhance Literacy: Promote comprehensive literacy—digital, information, media, and health—particularly targeting vulnerable groups. For instance, improving menstrual health literacy among young women is essential. 🍐 Strengthen Consumer Protections: Enforce regulations and enforcement against deceptive marketing practices and products harmful to vulnerable groups, like children. 🍐 Community Engagement: Align community activities with the delivery of services and products, adapting strategies based on community feedback to ensure relevance and effectiveness.

Data-Driven Healthcare Equity: Illuminating the Path Forward Did you know? Data isn't just numbers; it's a powerful tool for a fairer healthcare system. 🌐✨ Data analysis and predictive modeling are transforming how we tackle healthcare delivery disparities. Here's how: Unveiling Disparities: Data reveals hidden truths. Analyzing healthcare data reveals disparities in access, treatment, and outcomes. It's the first step towards meaningful change. Predictive Power: Predictive models forecast future trends. Imagine foreseeing potential gaps in care and resource allocation. Data-backed insights help us intervene before disparities widen. Targeted Interventions: Data lets us aim precisely. By identifying high-risk populations, we can tailor interventions that address specific needs, ensuring equitable care reaches every corner.  Fair Allocation: Resource allocation gets a boost. Data-driven decisions ensure resources are distributed equitably, balancing the scales and closing gaps in healthcare access. Cultural Competence Amplified: Data highlights cultural nuances. Understanding diverse patient backgrounds helps us deliver culturally competent care, promoting trust and better health outcomes.  Tech for Change: Technology and data unite. With AI and machine learning, we process vast datasets efficiently, unveiling insights that guide us toward a more equitable healthcare future. #DataTech #HealthcareAdvancements Data is the compass guiding us toward a fairer healthcare landscape. Through analysis and predictive power, we're rewriting the script on disparities, ensuring every patient receives the quality care they deserve. Let's harness the data revolution for better health for all. #DataDrivenHealthcare #EquityInAction

>>>New Research: Large Scaled Pilot Building Blocks to Implement a #Telehealth #Clinic to Improve #PrimaryCare Access - https://lnkd.in/eF4Y3V_2 A #lowcost, large-scale digital health clinic was implemented in selected urban and rural communities in the #Philippines to provide solutions for primary care access. In collaboration with local authorities, the pilot telemedicine clinic was implemented for 3 days in January 2023. #Patients were registered and their vitals were assessed before they were seen by a #remote #UnitedStates-based licensed #physician who provided recommendations for treatment. #Medicaldevices with real-time streaming capabilities, such as electronic #stethoscopes, were utilized to enhance #remoteexams. A total of 322 patients were treated at the telehealth clinic, with 218 completing a #populationhealth survey. Did the clinic increase #patientaccess? What were the foundational #technologies used to set up the clinic to empower #physicians and #healthcare team to integrate #telemedicine with no background in #coding or #programming? What #lowcode/ #nocode building blocks can be used to design a tailored #digitalhealth program? At scale, can this model be replicated to equip local #healthcaresystems and #governments to reduce #inequality in digital health #access around the globe? For complete details, view the fully #openaccess #article at https://lnkd.in/eF4Y3V_2 ***Meet the #Authors*** > Annalicia Pickering, MD > Wardah Rafaqat, MD > Adi Balk > Milton Chen > Limuel Abrogena, MD > Shuhan He > Mary Showstark > Alexander Davis > Aidan Chen > Jarone Lee, MD MPH Lee ______________ Next Issue Submission Deadline: May 1, 2024 View the current issue at https://lnkd.in/eAN4jVk ______________ ABOUT Telehealth and Medicine Today (#THMT) brings practical frontline research and insights to readers, and spotlights the economic impact of digital health innovations advancing value based care. The #journal bridges research excellence with real world implementation – on topics that matter to clinicians. Editors invite you to submit high quality #research, #reviews, and opinions. #digitalhealthtechnologies #hospitals #virtualcare Stanford University School of Medicine Massachusetts General Hospital Yale University #PhysicianAssistant Online Yale Institute for Global Health Ateneo de Manila University School of Medicine and Public Health VSee Ben-Gurion University of the Negev #telemedicine

Article on the use of wearables and improvements to health - yes, it works but it doesn't work equally. 'The new analysis looked at 19 studies that tested whether things like text messages, web-based prompts, or wearable step trackers could nudge people to increase their levels of physical activity. Across all of the studies, the behavioral tools were not effective for people with low socioeconomic status, even when they worked well for wealthier people. That pattern held across every type of approach tested.' The wearable devices and most of the consumer focused digital health apps are marketed to those who can pay for it. It then trickles down to those who can exercise, improve their nutrition, afford the care and medications required. The authors suggest that public health advocates and researchers to address this gap as it won't come from companies needing to consider profits. This is a realistic although depressing thought. Advocates cannot change the market and so we will fall (further) behind. Some of the reimbursement codes for devices (RPM) will help have insurance pay for these devices, which can aid in chronic disease and in a more equitable way. If we paid for consumer driven decisions or physicians could prescribe these devices, that might help. It is worth taking a chance on this as we have some data on improvements with digital health tools. And for the researchers, having more patients using it can lead to more data. Which is a win for patients, clinicians and the companies. #technology #healthliteracy #behaviorchange #digitalhealth #devices #medicaldevices #wearables #telehealth #rpm https://lnkd.in/eZbf2wgy

In "Future Care: Sensors, Artificial Intelligence, and the Reinvention of Medicine," Jag Singh elucidates the transformative role of AI, digital health technologies, and digital therapeutics in revolutionizing healthcare. The book underscores a paradigm shift towards integrated, accessible healthcare systems and the quest for global health equity facilitated by digital means. Singh highlights the pivotal evolution of remote, home-based care, where the adoption of digital technologies such as wearables and apps is key to delivering sustainable, cost-effective healthcare amidst industry skepticism. Singh delves into the concept of open, vendor-agnostic remote monitoring platforms that promise to streamline the integration of various devices and technologies, aiming to mitigate hospital readmissions effectively. He also emphasizes the significance of digital tools in enabling early detection and timely intervention, particularly for the escalating population of Americans with chronic conditions projected for 2030. Despite its potential for reducing healthcare costs, virtual care sparks debates over the possibility of increased testing due to diminished personal interactions. The book also explores how digital and remote care platforms are redefining patient-provider dynamics, fostering a shift from reactive to proactive healthcare management and amplifying patient empowerment. Singh points out the shift in patient behavior, especially among younger demographics, who seek healthcare services that prioritize convenience, privacy, and immediacy, thereby fueling the growth of telehealth companies. Singh suggests that the integration of digital health services into existing reimbursement models, coupled with the potential for shared-savings strategies, necessitates flexible and adaptive business models in the healthcare industry. Drawing from global health system experiences, he advocates for digital integration and a modular approach in healthcare, which could enhance efficiency and patient care. This approach advocates for a precision medicine model, utilizing disease-specific management modules in collaboration with third-party vendors for specialized care delivery. Moreover, the increasing consumer demand for healthcare convenience, as demonstrated by the integration of pharmacies and telehealth services, presents a challenge to traditional hospital models. Singh emphasizes disease-specific strategies aimed at reducing readmissions and leveraging digital technology to address both economic and patient care implications. #healthcare #medicine #artificialintelligence #digitalhealth #digitaltherapeutics #telehealth #reimbursement #precisionmedicine