- Advanced Human Imaging's smartphone-based derma AI gets CE mark.
- Google trialed its latest AI-powered tool that helps users research and identify their skin concerns.
- Scarletred’s certified medical device provides medical professionals a novel digital solution that allows them to assess and analyze individuals’ affected areas in an effective, time-efficient, and user-friendly manner.
- Meet K’ept Health, the Telederm Startup That Understands All Skin Tones.
These headlines sound familiar? The industry is abuzz with activity from teledermatology and dermatology digital health start-ups. While the changing landscape is exciting, it begs the question, are these being used? Do they solve the underlying friction points for their users i.e patients and/or physicians? We were curious to look beneath the hood to explore the appetite these key individuals have for using digital health products in their day to day lives, and how innovators creating these products are pressure testing their value proposition. As we have uncovered in digital health in the past, there’s much more than meets the eye, behind the headlines and in the regulated, rigorous world of healthcare and medicine.
In a world that was pushed to consider virtual modalities of engagement (Covid-19), in a world where people are connected more than ever by social media, in a world where there is consumer demand in healthcare choices made, we have had to think along with patients and HCPs about what this means in the context of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. These are everyday conditions that impact lifestyle significantly. These are regular people who may not come across as sick at first glance. These are specialized doctors who are pressed for time. These are conditions where touch, feel, smell, appearance matters. These are conditions that impact lifestyle choices for patients significantly. These are conditions with expensive, blockbuster biologics. Will and how will digital fit?
Together with Francesca Wuttke (CDO, Almirall), Steve Seuntjens (Partner, Personal Health Solutions), Robert Garber (Partner, 7wireVentures) Anne Cathrine Flesiher (CEO, LEO Innovation Lab & LEO Ventures) and Chandana Fitzgerald (CMO, HealthXL) we set up a working group to uncover the answers. As a result of it, we have put together a whitepaper, ‘The future of Skin Health’, which is intended to be a roundup of the learnings from the working group.
What are the objectives of the working group?
Unmask misconceptions about the journey of a patient living with psoriasis and/or atopic dermatitis. Identify the gaps, needs and digital health opportunities that lie at the intersection of patient-HCP care journeys.
Methodology:
We ran 3 focused sessions with different objectives:
- The Patient Voice: Identify gaps in the patient journey and their point of view on digital health solutions for dermatological conditions and comorbidities.
- The HCP Voice: Map the gaps the HCPs (both dermatologists and PCPs) see in the care of their patients with dermatological conditions.
- Innovators’ approach: Understand how digital health companies are addressing the gaps identified in the previous sessions; identify current unmet needs.
Main results:
1. A better understanding of the journey and lifestyle of patients living with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
2. Top patient pain points: Poor access to care, lack of integrated/ holistic care, side effects & lifestyle implications poorly understood and managed, lack of follow-up consultations.
3. Top Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) pain points: Lack of expertise in mental health, lack of time per patient, lack of financial incentives to use digital health tools, lack of trust in rigor of evidence of digital health tools.
4. Top innovations in the field of digital health for dermatology: Teledermatology, image-based diagnosis, patient- physician communication, physician upskilling (CME), patient education.
5. The future of skin health: a patient centered approach skin solution(s) will bring access, be able to measure/assess and diagnose, advise, monitor and motivate.
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In our last webinar we went through the results of this working group. If you’ve missed this, watch the recording now!
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