UK Law and Practice Contributed by: Amélie Chollet, Hannah Curtis and David Dennis, CMS
1. Digital Healthcare Usage 1.1 Types of Digital Healthcare
• provide medical treatment in hospital and other clinical settings (eg, to facilitate remote contact between patients and healthcare pro- viders, the management of chronic disease and/or for therapeutic intervention and train- ing healthcare providers). mHealth apps can be broadly categorised based on their primary purpose/aim, as follows. Chronic care management apps These include apps for managing blood pres- sure, cancer care, diabetes care, mental health and other illnesses. General health and fitness apps This category represents the majority of mHealth apps, and includes health and well-being apps related to nutrition, health tracking, fitness and weight management, along with wearable tech- nology sensors and other monitors. Medical apps These apps are mainly used by healthcare pro- fessionals. Examples include medical education/ training apps, doctor consultation/appointment apps, and patient management and monitoring apps. Clinical decision support systems, which assist doctors/physicians in diagnosing various health conditions, are also considered medical apps. Medication management apps These apps help to keep track of medicine intake to ensure proper dosing at required intervals. Personal health record apps These applications allow patients to store medi- cal data, allergy information and other medical information.
Digital healthcare in the United Kingdom (UK) is a broad field encompassing a variety of tech- nologies and services. The main types, and their distinguishing features, are as follows. Telehealth and Telemedicine These terms refer to the provision of healthcare services at a distance, using digital information and communication technologies. Telemedi- cine typically involves clinical services (such as remote consultations, diagnosis and treatment). These services can be delivered via video calls, telephone or secure messaging platforms, and are subject to specific regulatory requirements. For example, practitioners providing these ser- vices will be regulated by the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Telehealth is a broader umbrella term, encom- passing clinical and non-clinical services, which can include education, administrative meetings and training. Mobile Health (mHealth) mHealth refers to the use of portable and smart devices such as mobile phones, smartwatches and other wearable technology for the provision of healthcare services. This can also include the use of healthcare-related mobile applications. mHealth apps may be used for a variety of pur- poses, including to: • diagnose, treat and/or prevent disease; • monitor and improve fitness, lifestyle and well-being; • provide social care (eg, mental health ser- vices, rehabilitation support, etc); and
120 CHAMBERS.COM
Powered by FlippingBook