Patient Preference and Adherence (Jan 2023)
Advancing Digital Solutions to Overcome Longstanding Barriers in Asthma and COPD Management
Abstract
Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich,1 Nawar Diar Bakerly,2 Henry Chrystyn,3 Mark Hew,4 Job van der Palen5 1Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 2Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK; 3Inhalation Consultancy Ltd, Leeds, UK; 4Allergy, Asthma, and Clinical Immunology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; 5Medical School Twente, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands, and Section Cognition, Data and Education, University of Twente, Enschede, the NetherlandsCorrespondence: Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, 431 Glebe Point Road, Glebe, 2037, NSW, Australia, Tel +61 414 015 614, Email [email protected]: Maintenance therapy delivered via inhaler is central to asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management. Poor adherence to inhaled medication and errors in inhalation technique have long represented major barriers to the optimal management of these chronic conditions. Technological innovations may provide a means of overcoming these barriers. This narrative review examines ongoing advances in digital technologies relevant to asthma and COPD with the potential to inform clinical decision-making and improve patient care. Digital inhaler devices linked to mobile apps can help bring about changes in patients’ behaviors and attitudes towards disease management, particularly when they build in elements of interactivity and gamification. They can also support ongoing technique education, empowering patients and helping providers maximize the value of consultations and develop effective action plans informed by insights into the patient’s inhaler use patterns and their respiratory health. When combined with innovative techniques such as machine learning, digital devices have the potential to predict exacerbations and prompt pre-emptive intervention. Finally, digital devices may support an advanced precision medicine approach to respiratory disease management and help support shared decision-making. Further work is needed to increase uptake of digital devices and integrate their use into care pathways before their full potential in personalized asthma and COPD management can be realized.Keywords: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, technology, device, data
