Healthcare in the Digital Age

CAN THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION ALLEVIATE OBESITY IN THE UK? A high proportion of the UK population is now well-connected and using digital in everyday life but for some this comes at a cost as sedentary living increases and 64% of UK adults are now overweight or obese; this trend shows no sign of abating and continues to put enormous pressure on the NHS. The Government is desperate for a solution and paradoxically, the answer may lie in the digital revolution itself UK OBESITY AND HEALTH The effects of severe obesity are equivalent to the effects of lifelong smoking BMI 40-50 kg/m2 BMI 30-35 kg/m2 lifelong smoking reduces life expectancy: 3 years - 8-10 years HOSPITAL 64% (8,010 2,950 UK hospitals record almost three times as many obesity admissions for women as for men of UK adults are considered overweight or obese OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET IN THE AREAS OF ENGLAND WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF OBESE PEOPLE authorities in England with highest % of people classified as obese % of households with broadband 75,9% <60% Copeland 72,5% County Durham <60% 73,7% Ryedale <60% 74,4% Docaster <60% 73,8% East Lindsey 72,5% <60% Bolsover <60% 72,5% <60% Milton Keynes 72,8% Castle Point <60% 73,8% Sadgemoor <60% 72,9% Cosport: <60% 80% In 2012, 21 million households in Great Britain (80 per cent) had internet access note: figures 2014, household internet access figures 2012 INTERNET AND MOBILE PENETRATION UK citizens own the following devices: 41% 36% 19% PDA 56% 45% Desktop Tablet Standard 59% Game console mobile phone Smartphone computer Laptop UK Smartphone User Penetration, 2011 - 2017 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 60,4% 66,7% 71,7% 76,6% 80,9% 44,1% 52,5% THE QUANTIFIED SELF "The Quantified Selfers" believe that gathering and analysing data about their everyday activities can help them improve their lives, here is how they rate various health and fitness apps: Global Great Britain 82% 71% 65% S 28% Exercising Lowering stress 79% TÓ) 65% 22% Eating healthy / better Improving sleep 68% 65% 61% 23% Weight / Dieting Lowering Cholesterol 59% O 17% 48% Not Smoking Taking medication as prescribed 57% 18% Keeping appointments with doctors / health professionals MOBILE APPS WHICH WILL HELP UK CITIZENS STAY FITTER Most popular apps within the NHS approved Apps Library Mental health Fitness Sexual health Alcohol Sleep Stop smoking Drugs Food & diet apps Weight loss Nutrition Recipes Allergy 8 mobile health apps to help you stay fitter: British National Formulary (BNF) Mobile App (£165 for two-year subscription) NHS Choices Drinks Tracker (iPhone free) Instant Heart Rate Monitor The Walk-Game (iPhone, Android, Windows free-$1.99) (iPhone £2.49 Android £2.59) 3 Sleep Cycle (iPhone 69p) The Big White Wall (£24 per month) Diabetes Risk Checker Sliders (iPhone, Android; 69p) (iPhone, 69p) The Guardian, 2014 GAMIFICATION AS PART OF A SOLUTION OVER 133 new gaming studios opened within the UK in the last 18 months These are games built specifically for tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices 80% over 70% of these are working on games for Apple's ios platform for Google's Android operating system THE GOVERNMENT'S JOURNEY TO DIGITISATION TIMELINE Jan Mar Apr 2013 2013 2013 Initiative created to Launch of the new Health Publication of "Informa- digitise the NHS by April 2018 Apps Library, with safe and trusted apps to help tion: To Share or Not To Share?" you manage your health July 2013 June May 2013 2013 Launch of Care Connect in 18 Launch of the Better Launch of the Safer Hospitals, Safer Wards Technology Fund Trusts in London and the Care Fund North of England Sept 2013 Sept 2013 Nov 2013 Launch of the Clinical Digital Maturity Index Guidance for the use of Additional £250 million of technology in encouraging patient participation in decision-making funding for Safer Hospitals, Safer Wards Technology Fund Feb Feb Dec 2014 2014 2013 Development of the care.data Nursing Technology Fund. Allocation of the Launch of the GP programme, incl. launch of six month Challenge Fund Safer Hospitals, Safer Wards Technology Fund reengagement programme TECHUK OUTLINED THREE UNDERPINNING PRINCIPLES TO ACHIEVING A PAPERLESS NHS Capturing information digitally Sharing information digitally Using information digitally RECOMMENDATIONS There is clearly an opportunity for the UK Government to create and promote an App, Gaming App or Fitness Band which supports their health guidelines Improve the way health care professionals and patients are engaged on the design of digital products and services Invest more time and resources into raising awareness of the benefits that technology deliver Move towards a more mixed digital system economy. Various stakeholders need to demonstrate more willingness to collaborate and share data between systems Learn from other industries that have embraced the digital agenda Tap into relevant talent pools to generate innovation REFERENCES http://www.noo.org.uk/NOO_about_obesity/obesity_and_health http://www.hscic.gov.uk/article/3937/Hospitals-record-over-twice-as-many-obesity-admissions-for-women-than-men http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26037619 (2014) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-landscape-research/digital-landscape-research http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/7-10-people-uk-now-own-smartphone/#tpL3ltkU5APzej5F.99 http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Nearly-Half-of-UK-Consumers-Will-Use-Smartphones-This-Year/1009956#GURFASU3JIQkaGdu.99 http://www.ipsos-na.com/news-polls/pressrelease.aspx?id=6341 (December 2013) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25576400 http://www.ted.com/talks/gary_wolf_the_quantified_self http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/17-07/lbnp_knowthyself?currentPage=all http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/the-monitored-man/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&ref=science&_r=1 http://www.economist.com/node/21548493 http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults.aspx http://news.sky.com/story/1181701/nhs-mobile-fitness-app-aims-to-beat-obesity https://www.gov.uk/government/news/smartphone-apps-to-treat-obesity-and-alcohol-abuse http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/why-is-mobile-gaming-such-a-success/0121737 http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/08/health-apps-smartphones-top-10-gp-recommends http://apps.nhs.uk/apps/weight_loss/ https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/creating-an-exceptional-civil-service-less-bureaucratic-and-more-skilled-digital-and-unified http://mu http://my.civilservice.gov.uk/reform/the-reform-plan/ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-digital-public-services-will-help-britain-win-the-global-race https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-be-the-g8s-most-digital-government-by-next-year-with-billions-of-savings-in-sight http://apps.nhs.uk/ http://www.ehi.co.uk/img/News0254/PDF/Digitising_the_NHS_-_One_Year_On_FINAL.pdf http://www.jac.co.uk/files/Digitising-the-NHS-by-2018.PDF https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/262953/digital-landscape-reseach.csv/preview http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/cmr11/uk/1.3 http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2012/10/point-topic-publishes-new-uk-map-of-broadband-infrastructure-quality.html http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/rdit2/internet-access---households-and-individuals/2012/stb-internet-access--households- and-individuals--2012.html http://igraphic.kz