Blog | 6/28/2023
Digital Therapeutics Alliance and Health Advances Release Definitive Framework and Definitions for Classifying Digital Health Technologies
The digital transformation of healthcare is in full swing. With this rapid pace of innovation comes a complicated and overlapping array of digital technologies that is difficult for patients, clinicians, payers, and policymakers to differentiate, evaluate, and ultimately benefit from.
Over the past six months a team of industry stakeholders sponsored the @Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA), the leading international trade organization on digital therapeutic thought leadership and education and led by Health Advances senior leaders Brandon Wade and Jeffrey Abraham has developed the definitive framework to define and classify the full spectrum of digital health technologies (DHTs). By offering robust categorizations and precise definitions, this guidance aims to foster a unified and consistent understanding of the digital landscape for all stakeholders interacting with and hoping to benefit from digital products.
“This endeavor with the DTA is an important next step for digital therapeutics and digital health technologies. As digital therapeutics become integral to healthcare, it is critical to continue clarifying the role and benefits of these products for patients, providers, payers, and government agencies” said Jeff Abraham, co-leader of the Digital Health practice at Health Advances. “By defining the DHT landscape, we will arm these key stakeholders with the knowledge and confidence to ensure they are using the right products at the right time to support the desired outcomes.”
The research was informed by the latest publications from US and international regulatory bodies, trade organizations, analysts and investors, as well as the global landscape of innovative digital health companies crafting their own definitions and messaging. By identifying key points of differentiation across DHTs, the teams revised the DTA’s classification framework to better reflect the landscape of DHTs today and one that better services where the industry is headed. The revised classifications were pressure tested with US physicians, US commercial and government payers, and DTA member companies to arrive at this guidance for industry.
“The potential for DHTs to impact patients, their caregivers, and their providers is excited, though also exciting is the potential for these technologies to impact industry” said Brandon Wade, co-leader of the Digital Health practice at Health Advances. “Never before have pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostics companies had access to tech that can fundamentally change how they engagement with and support their customers and end-users, not to mention how they function operationally.”
“It is commonly understood across healthcare that people need to know what ingredients are in their medications and food. Digital therapies are the same,” shares Megan Coder, Chief Policy Officer at the Digital Therapeutics Alliance. “Patients, caregivers, and clinicians need to understand the components that are embedded in their digital health technologies. By working with Health Advances, we’ve been able to develop a common list of DHT product types,
ingredients, and mechanisms for end users to understand how to best assess, use, and optimize these therapies in everyday environments.”
Learn More
- The full framework can be downloaded at here.
- A companion Fact Sheet can be found here and a Comparison Guide here.
Media Contacts:
- DTA Autumn Brennan, abrennan@dtxalliance.org
- Health Advances Greg Chittim, Partner, Head of Marketing, gchittim@healthadvances.com
About DTA:
The Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA) is a global non-profit trade association of industry leaders and stakeholders with the mission of broadening the understanding, adoption, and integration of digital therapeutics into healthcare. DTA works to enable expanded access to high quality, evidence-based digital therapeutics for patients, clinicians, and payors in order to improve clinical and health economic outcomes. To learn more, please visit: www.dtxalliance.org or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Health Advances:
Health Advances is a strategy consulting firm that helps clients realize growth opportunities worldwide for healthcare technologies, products, and services. Operating at the intersection of science, technology and business, our consultants work with senior executives and investors on their highest-stakes strategic decisions. The firm’s deep understanding of the healthcare ecosystem, with practices in biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, health IT and digital health equips Health Advances to identify pragmatic, innovative strategies, and business models. These same skills help executives set their M&A objectives and rigorously evaluate transactions. The firm employs nearly 200 full-time professionals headquartered outside Boston, with global offices in San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Zug, Switzerland.