Point Solution Fatigue: Impacting Patients, Providers and Payers and the Future of Digital Health

For the past decade, the digital health landscape has been flooded with health applications, each targeting a specific health condition or care challenge, otherwise known as a “point solution". While these apps hold the promise of improved health outcomes, they have also caused widespread point solution fatigue among patients, providers, and payers. The sheer number of apps available to manage personal health or required by employers and healthcare providers has brought confusion and fatigue to the very people they were designed to help. Ultimately, this fragmentation has diminished the potential of technology to improve health outcomes. 

Patient fatigue with point solutions

Patients managing multiple chronic conditions often find themselves juggling way too many digital health tools. Each application has a unique interface, data format, and user experience. For example, with more than 10,000 mental health apps on the health store, the fatigue can set in before an app is even downloaded. 

The primary fatigue issue we see with people using digital health products is: 

1) Frustration with double or triple entry of data for multiple apps spanning multiple conditions, like the common comorbidities of diabetes and high blood pressure, and obesity. 

2) Conflicting recommendations from the apps.

3) Struggling to gain insights from multiple platforms and share aggregated information with a healthcare provider. 

These challenges lead to low engagement and retention in all but the very best point solutions. 

Provider fatigue with point solutions 

Healthcare providers are similarly burdened. The influx of digital health solutions can be overwhelming, making it challenging to identify tools that are clinically validated, effective, and integrate with existing healthcare technologies, including EHRs and interoperability standards. Without easy discovery and  interoperability, the incentive for healthcare providers to invest time and effort in researching new technologies each month is minimal, especially when they are already overburdened with patient care. 

Payer/Employer fatigue with point solutions

For employers and insurance companies, the proliferation of digital health tools promised to bring savings, and instead many have brought additional costs and administrative burden. Evaluating the effectiveness and return on investment of these tools is difficult, and employees push back on the barrage of new solutions being peddled to them through employer programs. This recent article on Employer Fatigue with Point Solutions drills deep into this topic. 

The Path Forward

An Integrated Approach to Digital Health

To address point solution fatigue, we need to adjust course to design and deliver integrated solutions, possibly targeted at communities and subgroups, with a “pay if it works” model. Integrated digital health solutions offer a unified user experience, streamline data entry, and ensure consistent, evidence-based recommendations. This holistic approach not only improves user engagement and adherence but also enhances the overall efficiency and effectiveness of digital health innovations. By consolidating multiple functions into cohesive platforms that seamlessly integrate with existing healthcare systems, we can reduce the burden on patients, providers, and payers, unlocking the full potential of digital health. 

An example of holistic integrated solutions is Proov, a company offering at-home hormone testing for fertility. Proov provides insights about the women’s hormone levels and connects with the telehealth solution, PlanYourBaby (if they are in the UK).. Similarly, Proov's perimenopause digital health platform helps women identify their stage of perimenopause and connects them with Midi, the top menopause telehealth provider in the US. Many more solutions could easily be bundled  to provide longitudinal hormone health care across all stages of women’s lives.

Tailored community and subgroup solutions

Creating digital health solutions for specific patient populations with shared health needs could be another effective way to tackle point solution fatigue. As Ellen Kelsay, CEO of the Business Group on Health, highlighted in a recent interview, the industry has been recognizing the need to address the unique challenges faced by specific subgroups for several years. By focusing on health verticals such as fertility and family planning, or addressing care needs holistically for different life stages, communities, or sub-groups, these tailored solutions can foster greater engagement and loyalty from users. Additionally, this approach makes it easier for employers and payers to track health outcomes, ensuring better resource allocation and improved overall care.

“Pay if it works” model

The “pay if it works” model, tracks patient engagement and outcomes. Digital health companies are then reimbursed based on actual usage and the results they deliver, rather than through traditional seat licenses. This performance-based approach ensures that only effective solutions are rewarded, promoting higher standards of care and encouraging the development of more impactful digital health tools. As a result, it can help reduce the proliferation of ineffective apps, streamline the digital health ecosystem, and ultimately enhance overall patient care and satisfaction.

Ultimately, while the intention behind point solutions is to address specific health challenges, their proliferation without cohesive integration strains all stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem. To overcome point solution fatigue, we need to embrace a multifaceted approach. By combining these strategies, we can reduce fragmentation, enhance engagement, and ultimately improve the overall effectiveness of digital health innovations, ensuring measurably better outcomes for payers, patients and providers.

At Guidea, we are committed to partnering with companies who are driving innovation in digital health to improve patient lives, reduce the burden on our healthcare providers and systems, and contribute to a healthier future for all. Book a time with us to discuss your healthcare design challenges.

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