Journal: Frontiers in Digital Health
Date: 2024/1/30
Authors: Jan David Smeddinck, Rada Hussein, Christopher Bull, Tom Foley, Mark van Gils
https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1367567
Description: The increasing integration of digital health technologies into everyday life marks a transformative shift in healthcare and prevention. Ubiquitous digital health systems include continuous monitoring and intervention capabilities, offering unprecedented opportunities for preventive and rehabilitative healthcare, moving beyond a primary focus on addressing health problems after they symptomatically manifest. This shift is not merely characterized by technological evolution but also by a paradigmatic change towards more personalized, data-driven, and sustainable healthcare approaches. In this editorial, we underscore the potential of ubiquitous and learning health systems to revolutionize healthcare, including fostering sustainable behavior change and empowering individuals in their health journeys.
Digital health technologies are increasingly present in our day-to-day lives and are often used continuously, enabling the integration of an increasing variety of data. Such ubiquitous and often mobile digital health systems have considerable potential in enabling long-term—or even life-long disease management. Furthermore, accompanying healthcare monitoring and interventions with a focus on prevention and rehabilitation could reduce the amount and extent of events that require traditional medical treatment. This can lower individual suffering, as well as the burden on public health systems considerably (1, 2) and has the potential to increase quality-adjusted life years (3).