Digital health products can reduce health care disparities – if we act
By Tanisha Hill, Teva Pharmaceuticals and the Digital Health for Equitable Health Alliance
Despite the pace of innovation in health care today, underrepresented populations across America are not receiving optimal care. Health care disparities continue to exist across disease states and demographics and can have a significant impact on health outcomes. With digital healthcare innovations like telehealth and digital therapy, the industry can – and should – begin to address these disparities and gaps.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a visible shift towards remote care as patients and providers embrace telehealth, which had not taken root before the pandemic. The result has been wider adoption of telehealth as it has become an essential tool for ensuring uninterrupted access to care during the pandemic. But there is still progress to be made in leveraging digital health to address the unmet needs of underrepresented populations.
Teva recently commissioned The Harris Poll to survey nearly 4,200 adult consumers, as well as 602 healthcare providers (HCPs), to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare and the access to medicines from the perspective of health care consumers and health professionals. What we found may affect how we think about the future of digital health tools and the promise of equity in America. Among the main takeaways, we learned:
- 44% of Hispanics, 35% of Blacks, and 14% of Asians versus just 7% of people who identify as White reported significantly more difficulty accessing a good doctor or healthcare facility.
- 1 in 5 people of color said they had difficulty accessing medication they were prescribed during the pandemic, compared to about 1 in 7 white Americans
- 45% of Americans reported using telehealth more than before the pandemic, but telehealth visits were more common in high-income, high-education, and urban segments
- 63% of people of color intend to use digital apps and telehealth more in the future, but 36% to 54% of healthcare providers say their patients from low-income households don’t have cannot afford easy access to telehealth.
These data demonstrate the growing use and importance of telehealth, but they also highlight the growing digital health disparities that continue to reinforce the already existing digital divide. While digital health may be the vehicle through which we can move toward a more equitable health system, closing the gaps in care to achieve greater equality will require multi-faceted solutions and collaboration to create and implement meaningful and lasting change. The potential lies in the following key areas:
Some products: By creating and leveraging “smart” products that enhance connected care, platforms can improve health outcomes by helping patients and healthcare professionals better manage chronic disease remotely — and with better tools. However, the first step to creating health equity in technology is to ensure that the products themselves are fair. It requires intentional thinking. For example, telehealth platforms must provide access for people who do not speak English and closed captioning services for people who are hard of hearing. Additionally, research on digital technologies should include appropriate representation of people of color in underrepresented populations. Each base should be covered to ensure full use for all people.
Literacy: Although patients can access more information about their health through digital platforms such as telehealth and online portals, digital literacy is a widespread barrier that prevents many patients from accessing these services. There needs to be a thoughtful approach to user experience, site design and navigation systems to ensure these platforms are accessible to patients with low digital literacy. Community digital health experts could provide additional support and education for those with minimal digital literacy.
Cover: The successful and long-term expansion of telehealth is also hampered by the lack of standardized reimbursement policies for telehealth technologies. Telehealth insurance coverage varies by state and plan – subject to rapid change in response to updated regulations. As a result, patients and doctors often face high prices. A standardized approach to digital health reimbursement and coverage is an important starting point to ensure wider access to essential digital technologies and services related to remote health care.
Broadband: Today, there are far too many Americans without reliable high-speed Internet access. Large-scale expansion of broadband Internet access (including fibre, wireless or satellite technology) is essential, and distribution of secure mobile Wi-Fi hotspots and compatible video devices to patients who do not have these necessary resources can also help bridge the gap.
Ultimately, it will take the whole village to close the health equity gap – and that includes community organizations, industry, government and academia. Everyone has a role to play in identifying and removing barriers that impede access to quality and equitable care for all. Technology is one of the tools we can use to begin to address health care disparities in our current health care system and spur social change.
Health care design expert Kim Erwin and population health expert Jerry Krishnan noted that “the key is to shift our focus from helping people adapt to our care delivery system, to a system where we design our care delivery system to fit people where they live, work, learn, play and receive health care. Advances in technology allow us to rethink and redesign health systems to deliver care more efficiently and promote greater health equity for patients.
We believe the future of healthcare is headed in the right direction, and as long as we harness the power of digital healthcare technologies, we can move towards a more equitable healthcare system where patients around the world can access care. of high quality that result in better health. and better results.
About the Author:
Tanisha Hill is US Senior Medical Director, Respiratory and Digital Health, at Teva Pharmaceuticals. She is also Founder and President of Digital Health for Equitable Health Alliance, a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve access to care for underserved populations through digital health. Hill has over 25 years of health industry experience spanning government, clinical practice management, clinical research, social marketing, health communications and pharmaceuticals, and has 10 years of experience in digital health.
