❓What it’s all about.
Digital health applications (DiGA) have become increasingly important in recent years. They offer a variety of ways to complement therapies and help patients manage their conditions. Despite the potential inherent in these technologies, many physicians in private practice are hesitant to prescribe them to their patients. One of the main arguments is often the perceived lack of data or experience with these applications. But this risk aversion not only slows down medical progress, it also contains a helpful support.
ℹ️ What is risk aversion?
The term refers to a behavior in which risks – often only perceived risks – are avoided by omitting certain decisions or actions. In medicine, for example, this manifests itself in the hesitant prescription of new therapeutic methods or digital health applications.
ℹ️ Why is prescribing DiGA not a real risk?
The term “risk” refers to the possibility of an adverse event occurring that could result in loss or harm.
But DiGA must go through rigorous regulatory processes in Germany before they can enter the market. This creates a high level of basic trustworthiness and minimizes potential risks. In addition, the digital nature of these applications allows for rapid collection of patient feedback and experiences that can be analyzed in real time and used to make improvements. These are already showing that many DiGAs offer innovative approaches to treatment and monitoring that are superior to traditional methods.
ℹ️ The cost of risk aversion.
By not prescribing, physicians deprive themselves of the opportunity to gain experience with these applications and expand their therapeutic range.
At the same time, hesitancy prevents the systematic buildup of experience and data essential to the advancement of DiGA.
Ultimately, however, it is the patients who suffer most from this risk aversion. They are being denied potentially effective treatment options that could significantly improve their quality of life.
‼️Fazit
The hesitancy of many office-based physicians to prescribe digital health apps is a classic example of risk aversion, but it is largely unfounded in this context. It not only slows down progress in healthcare, but also has a direct negative impact on patient well-being. It is time to rethink this attitude and see the use of DiGA as an opportunity to improve patient care rather than a risk.
R2049 