USA Law and Practice Contributed by: Nadia de la Houssaye, Allison Bell, Emily Degan Vorhoff and Keiana Palmer, Jones Walker LLP
1. Digital Healthcare Usage 1.1 Types of Digital Healthcare
care settings, including wearables, implantables and ingestible sensors that collect and trans- mit health data. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) enables more personalised care, sup- ports early detection of medical conditions, and improves overall patient outcomes. These various forms differ primarily in their func- tionality, regulatory oversight and integration with broader healthcare systems. For example, while consumer health apps may not be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), soft- ware as a medical device (SaMD) must meet the agency’s definition and regulatory requirements. 1.2 Use/Application of Digital Healthcare Digital technology is extensively integrated into healthcare settings across the United States, with varying degrees of adoption based on geographic location, provider type and patient demographics. Key applications include the fol- lowing. Clinical Care Delivery Healthcare providers increasingly rely on tel- ehealth platforms for primary and specialty care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, regula- tory changes facilitated broader adoption, with many exemptions now permanent or extended through 30 September 2025, including geo- graphic restrictions removal and allowing audio- only services for certain conditions. Hospital and Health System Operations Electronic health records, workflow manage- ment, staffing software, decision-support systems and administrative tools enhance operational efficiency, disease prevention and community health initiatives.
Digital healthcare in the United States encom- passes a broad range of health-related products, tools and services distributed through techno- logical solutions that improve mental and physi- cal health and well-being. These technologies include the following. Telehealth and Telemedicine These are remote healthcare services that con- nect patients with providers via video, phone or messaging platforms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth became a cornerstone of healthcare delivery, with Medicare exemp- tions supporting wider adoption. Some of these changes have been made permanent, such as allowing federally qualified health centres (FQHCs) and rural health clinics (RHCs) to serve as distant site providers for behavioural/mental telehealth services. Mobile Health This includes health-promoting mobile tools, applications and wearables such as continuous glucose monitors, fitness apps, digital virtual assistants, natural language-processing tools, and behavioural health apps that support patient These are digital systems for storing and access- ing patient health information, which facilitate care co-ordination and data sharing between providers. These systems support interoperabil- ity and seamless communication across health- care entities. Remote Patient Monitoring This includes connected devices that track patient health metrics outside traditional health- monitoring and engagement. Electronic Patient Records
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