Digital Therapeutics and Their Integration into Healthcare Systems: A Public Health Perspective

Abstract

Digital therapeutics (DTx) are emerging as an innovative means of delivering evidence-based medical interventions via software to prevent, manage, and treat a variety of health conditions. This paper examines the potential of DTx to address major public health priorities and their integration into healthcare systems. DTx can increase access to care, lower treatment costs, provide personalized interventions, and facilitate remote monitoring. Studies demonstrate DTx efficacy for conditions like diabetes, mental health disorders, and smoking cessation. However, barriers to adoption exist including the digital divide, privacy concerns, limited evidence, and regulatory uncertainties. Thoughtful implementation of DTx into clinical workflows, leveraging capabilities for public health surveillance, and partnerships among stakeholders can maximize population health benefits. While not panaceas, DTx holds promise to complement traditional interventions by improving outcomes, promoting wellness behaviors, and supporting self-management of chronic diseases if vigilance is maintained regarding ethical risks and equitable access globally. Overall, DTx offers new avenues to reshape healthcare and public health, but require continued research, policy evolution, and collaborative efforts among technology developers, providers, regulators, and communities.