Factoring digital health for improved outcomes in management of Non Communicable Diseases

Abstract Make in India is a flagship campaign from the Government of India which is aimed at various sectors. Indian health-care system can take advantages by introducing digital technologies to health care. The possible uses of health information technology as a method to engage with people involving communicable and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are wide-ranging. Health information technology can support interventions for prevention, diagnosis, managing surveillance, disease monitoring, and treatment compliance of many conditions. Digital health can offer various technologies such as wearables that are tracked by various mobile or smartphone applications to facilitates patient engagement, self-monitoring, and implementing behavior changes in NCDs such as diabetes. By incorporating the interactive audiovisual items, the digital health tools can create greater interest and engage people from different geographies, age, gender, and culture. Currently, the common digital heath tech issues include hesitancy from doctors to adopt any new product or technology, difficulty in reaching and accessing the needy patients, cultural diversity in population, and inadequate infrastructure. The ethical issues of consent, data security, and privacy of patients need to be addressed as they are highly sensitive in nature.