Digital Health Explained: Why It Matters and What to Know

From online fraud detection to online shopping recommendations powered by artificial intelligence, the digital revolution has transformed much of how we work, live, and play. The most vital changes brought about by digital technologies are how we receive health care and meet our health needs. 

Digital health uses digital tools and platforms to improve healthcare outcomes by providing personalised patient care in person, expanding access to health care through mobile apps, or using neural networks to diagnose diseases. Digital health encompasses all of these areas – and more. 

In this article, you’ll learn more about this fascinating field that has the potential to improve medical outcomes significantly, find a list of jobs common to it, and explore the role of digital health in different professional environments. You’ll also find suggested courses that offer a path that turns your interest into a career.

What is digital health? 

Digital health is the use of digital technologies for healthcare purposes. The field encompasses a wide variety of digital health technologies and subfields, including health information technology (IT), health informatics, wearable medical devices, software as a medical device (SaMD), personalised medicine, mobile health (mHealth), and telemedicine and telehealth. To help push the progress of digital health in India, the National Health Authority began the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABHA) to support digital health infrastructure in the country. Components of this mission include developing a healthcare professionals registry, a healthcare facility registry, a unified health interface, ABHA mobile apps and electronic medical records, ABHA digital identification numbers, and more. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, the field is growing. According to a 2021 study by Statista, the global market for digital health is projected to grow from 175 billion in 2019 to nearly 660 billion in 2025 [1]. This exponential expansion is a testament to the increased need for quality health care and the ever-expanding reach of digital technologies. 

Digital health jobs

Pairing digital technology with health care requires numerous specialised professionals. Some of the most common jobs in the digital health care space include:

1. Software engineers

2. Web developers

3. Data scientists

4. Product engineers

5. Biomedical engineers

6. UX designers

Digital health examples 

Whether we realise it or not, many of us use digital health technologies daily. For example, wearable devices like Fitbits or smartwatches provide users with continual updates on their activity, such as their step count or heart rate. This technology provides users with important health information that has the potential to improve their health. 

Benefits of digital health 

Digital health uses the power of digital technologies, such as advanced analytics, to achieve healthcare goals. As a result, the field has the opportunity to positively impact everyone, from patients to healthcare providers and professionals. Some of the most common benefits include: 

• Expanded access to health care to historically marginalised communities

• Decreased healthcare costs for both patients and providers

• Improved patient health outcomes through personalised treatment plans 

• Increased operation efficiency at health facilities, such as hospitals

• Improved diagnoses through machine learning algorithms

Understanding digital health: regulatory and health care environment

While digital technology has improved health care delivery and outcomes, it’s also significantly altered the industry. In this new landscape, entrepreneurs and developers have encountered new regulations imposed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), and health care professionals have had to adapt to new technologies. 

Regulatory environment 

The Government in India has developed several regulatory guidelines for digital health as the adoption of these technologies has spread throughout the country. The MoHFW issues Telemedicine Practice Guidelines to standardise the use of telemedicine in health care and ensure patients receive high-quality care. These guidelines, in addition to the Data Protection Bill 2021 and a proposed Digital Information Security in Healthcare Act, are helping to govern and regulate digital health care in India. Entrepreneurs and technology professionals looking to enter the field should be prepared to deal with regulations when joining the field. 

Healthcare environment 

Professionals working in health care today should expect to become acquainted with new digital health technologies more routinely than in the past. While some professionals might be reluctant to adopt new technologies, others might see it as an opportunity to improve their health services and patients’ treatment plans. 

Explore digital health 

Healthcare is a growing and ever-changing field. Whether you’re hoping to start a healthcare career or are already an established professional, you might consider taking an online, flexible course to gain relevant skills to stay ahead of the curve. 

There are several options to expand your skill set on Coursera. Imperial College London’s Digital Health Specialisation on Coursera introduces learners to the global role and application of digital technologies in public health and health care and the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of digital health interventions. Meanwhile, Northeastern’s Engaging in Enterprise Growth and Innovation teaches cutting-edge skills that can turn course takers into high-impact digital change agents, leading innovation as a manager in the healthcare field.