Yonsei University Health System (YUHS) is taking a groundbreaking step in expanding access to medical care by incorporating digital therapeutic devices (DTx) into patients’ daily lives. The initiative allows individuals to manage their health effectively through DTx, reducing the need for direct involvement from medical professionals.
During a recent demonstration at Severance Hospital, YUHS showcased its commitment to prescribing DTx, highlighting cognitive therapy software aimed at improving insomnia. This software is part of the “Connect-DTx” digital therapeutic device integration solution platform.
Real-time personalized treatment with Connect-DTx
Connect-DTx empowers individuals to input real-time personal data using digital therapeutic devices and receive tailored prescriptions. This innovative approach enables medical institutions to offer personalized treatment to each patient in real-time by seamlessly integrating with the hospital’s electronic prescription and medical record systems.
Prescribing and Treating Insomnia with Somzz
A notable example includes a healthcare professional prescribing Somzz, a cognitive therapy software developed by AimMed, to a 26-year-old patient suffering from insomnia. Somzz provides cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-1), a standard treatment for chronic insomnia patients. It has earned approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, making it Korea’s first approved digital therapy device.
Streamlined Prescription Process
The process of prescribing a digital therapy device involves screening for symptoms during the first hospital visit, obtaining patient consent, and automatically sending prescription information to the platform. Patients can conveniently install the application, authenticate themselves, and use the digital therapy device app.
Connect-DTx’s impact beyond patients
Connect-DTx extends its reach beyond patients, facilitating communication with government agencies responsible for insurance claims and audits. Government agencies, including the National Health Insurance Service and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, can monitor the effectiveness of prescribed digital therapeutic devices in real-time. Developers of these devices can seamlessly connect with medical organizations on the platform.
Expanding Connect-DTx Services
YUHS, backed by funding received in 2022, plans to link Connect-DTx to the medical record prescription systems of six major hospitals this year. Moreover, the initiative aims to expand its services through collaboration with EMR (electronic medical record) companies in primary and secondary medical institutions, focusing on conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and smoking cessation.
Lim Joon-seok, head of the Digital Health Office at YUHS, emphasized that the development of Connect-DTx will enable customized treatment for patients and user-friendly, safe medical data utilization for various stakeholders, marking a significant stride towards an advanced medical era based on big data analysis.
