Digital banking apps point the way forward for patient self-management to improve healthcare, believe Gerard Hanratty, Head of Health and Life Sciences, and Carly Caton, Partner, at UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson
Making payments, collecting savings and budgeting plans can all be completed with the touch of a few buttons on smartphone apps. For many people, such apps have replaced the need to visit physical banks or use telephone services for managing day-today finances.
Yet in healthcare – particularly in state-based systems such as Britain’s NHS – it’s often the case that patients must call their GP or even queue outside their practice between 8am and 8.05am to have a chance of a same-day appointment, required for follow-on treatment or a prescription.
In an era where technology seamlessly integrates into our daily lives, the healthcare sector remains an outlier.
An outdated regulatory system prevents patients from taking the same control over their health data as they can with financial data, not to mention personal information, in many other parts of our lives.
The ability to share such data with healthcare providers and other relevant bodies could hold the key to the macro shift from a predominantly curative healthcare system that prioritises treatments of diseases to a preventative model, characterised by early interventions, to address numerous challenges faced by state-based healthcare systems.
It could drive operational efficiencies to free up clinician and staff time, improve care by giving providers a more holistic picture of a patient’s health and support population-wide initiatives such as incentivisation for leading a healthier lifestyle. Cross-border data sharing could also enable collaborative research projects on diseases such as cancer.
The best part is this isn’t a future technology to plan for but one we have access to right now. Yet we aren’t taking advantage of existing healthcare apps or wearables and reaping the benefits such action could drive.
Learning from the digital banking revolution
Banking has long embraced digital technology, offering customers smartphone apps and real-time metrics to manage finances effortlessly.
UK Finance reported that 87 per cent of adults used a form of online or remote banking in 2023 – up from 54 per cent a decade earlier and amounting to about 47m people. Three in five (60 per cent) people were using mobile banking, about 32m people
Challenger banks such as Monzo, Revolut and Starling have innovated user interfaces to enable customers to pay bills, send payments to friends, monitor spending, create savings pots and manage mortgages on a single app.
Healthcare can replicate this model to empower patients. Apps that track health metrics such as blood pressure, glucose levels and medication adherence could revolutionise patient self-management and preventive care.
Countries like Estonia and Denmark are pioneers in this field, having integrated digital health solutions that allow citizens to access and manage their medical data online securely.
Incentivisation for good health
Last year, a study led by health experts at the University of Stirling found that offering financial incentives is effective in helping men to lose weight.
The research split 585 men living with obesity across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland into three groups. They were each given short, medium and long-term weight loss targets but with varying levels of support and incentives. The group that received supportive text messages plus the opportunity to earn £400 for hitting targets lost the most weight.
Incentivisation is an under-explored mechanism for achieving objectives in healthcare, but could be a crucial driver in encouraging people from inactivity to activity.
The NHS Couch to 5K programme is a great example of how this could work, while in private healthcare we’ve seen companies like Vitality offer Apple Watches as part of private health or life insurance plans, with customers able to reduce payments by undertaking physical activity.
Engaging, user-friendly and supportive environments are key to successful health self-management, and we are already seeing some great examples of how technology and education is being combined to encourage people to take active roles in managing their own health. These include:
• Health-tracking apps and wearables: Providing real-time data on measurements such as physical activity, sleep and diet be supported by features including goal setting, reminders and rewards to enhance engagement.
• Gamification: Incorporating game-like elements into health management tools, such as earning points, badges or completing challenges.
• Personalised health plans: Tailoring AIdriven plans based on a person’s health data, preferences and goals, making them more relevant and effective.
• Educational resources: Providing accessible, clear and engaging educational materials about health, wellness and disease prevention.
• Financial incentives: Insurance premium discounts, vouchers or direct rewards can be a powerful motivator for many people.
• Social support networks: Community platforms where individuals can share their experiences, challenges and successes to boost motivation and accountability.
Many people are already signed up to a large number of these applications and taking key measurements of their health every day to determine how many calories they’ve burned or if their heart rate is a cause for concern.
This data has powerful potential, if plugged into the right platforms and organisations, to drive better health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs – yet this is only happening in certain parts of the world or in limited circumstances.
Active health management is a key pillar of creating a preventative healthcare system. By identifying issues before they arise, lifestyle changes can be made to avert the need for treatment and clinical resource.
Digital health wallets could pave the
way forward
Creating digital health wallets can be a cost-effective and relatively easy solution to active health management. These are secure, centralised platforms that store, manage and share personal health information.
Often accessed through a mobile app, digital health wallets empower individuals to control their own health data, and facilitate access and management by trusted healthcare providers and as permitted by the individual.
Independent providers in the UK are creating these wallets, but the UK’s NHS app is arguably the most powerful of them all should it be given the right environment to flourish. At present, it is very underutilised, as are so many potential sources.
A digital wallet provides secure access to view and manage information from a user’s GP and other healthcare records, including appointments, test results and medications. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated its rollout, but further progress has been limited since the end of lockdown.
There’s huge potential to enhance the NHS app so that users can book appointments at any GP, attend virtual appointments where appropriate, and access follow-up treatment, services and prescriptions. At a time in which the government wants to reform the NHS into a more streamlined organisation, this upgrade could generate huge cost and resource savings.
Taken even further, integrating this app with other digital tools already being used to collect and monitor an individual’s health and lifestyle, it’s clear to see the enormous potential technology has to spearhead a truly preventative healthcare system.
Challenges and potential solutions in
bridging digital divide
While the integration of digital tools presents a promising outlook, state-based healthcare systems face unique challenges.
The primary concerns revolve around data security, patient privacy and the digital divide that could marginalise those without access to technology.
Addressing these issues requires robust cyber security measures, widespread digital literacy campaigns and policies ensuring equitable access to digital health tools.
More broadly, regulatory frameworks must evolve for digital technology to reach its full potential in healthcare.
Facilitating the sharing of personal health data and anonymised data across borders can accelerate research and development, leading to breakthroughs in treatment and disease management.
Last year, Browne Jacobson contributed to a report entitled Opportunities for collaboration between the UK and UAE in cancer care by the UAE-UK Business Council in a section on barriers and opportunities regarding data sharing and privacy.
We called for governments to co-operate in aligning their respective regulatory regimes to achieve data adequacy. This agreement would enable them to collaborate more effectively in a global health data exchange that powers new research and development into diseases that don’t have international borders, such as cancer.
Developing joint health data hubs, harmonising ethical and technical guidelines for AI and genomics, and facilitating cross-border clinical trials and research partnerships, could also go a long way to making significant progress in discovering cures to diseases.
Governments can take cues from the European Union’s GDPR approach to data protection and privacy, ensuring that data sharing is secure and transparent. Additionally, international co-operation, such as in the EU’s health data sharing projects, can set a precedent for global health data exchange.
A call for global collaboration
As we continue to navigate the complexities of digital integration in healthcare, the lessons from banking provide a beacon of innovation and efficiency. It is imperative that we seize this opportunity to transform healthcare, making it more accessible, secure, and patient-centric through digital technology.
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