How are Digital Therapeutics (DTx) making headway in the Spanish Health System?

by Ana Díaz-Roncero, July 24, 2024

Over the past few years, Digital Therapeutics (DTx) (software that has been clinically validated and supported with scientific evidence used to prevent, manage, and treat diseases), have been increasingly adopted around the world, enabling the development of new patient-centered healthcare models focused on the efficiency and sustainability of the system.

Examples of this are seen in the countries of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, where their use is not only extensive, but country-wide models have been established that allow for the subsidization of Digital Therapeutics through reimbursement. Other European countries are beginning to implement policies that help to boost the adoption of the DTx, as in Portugal, where the implementation of DTx is being promoted using various certifications.

In Spain, no specific regulatory structure exists currently. However, this is an emerging sector that has been growing for several years. Recognizing the transformative potential of digital technologies in the healthcare environment, the National Health System launched the Digital Health Strategy (in Spanish) in 2021. Subsequently, this effort has been advancing, thanks to measures like the Plan for Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience. Through this plan, funds are targeted at innovation and the improvement of healthcare services through technology. These initiatives create a favorable environment for the adoption of DTx, which is reinforced by partnerships such as that of the “Consorcio DTx”, whose goal is to advance the regulation of Digital Therapeutics and facilitate their access to the Spanish market.

In this context, they recently published the Consorcio DTx White Paper: Estado actual, retos y recomendaciones para la adopción de las terapias digitales en España. This document offers a thorough exploration of the DTx landscape, and suggests the necessity of establishing specific regulations for their integration into the Spanish National Health System. They offer a general overview of Digital Therapeutics, the characteristics that differentiate them from other digital solutions, along with the benefits they provide, which include:

Improving health outcomes
Enabling access to information by physicians and patients
Providing greater patient autonomy
Offering flexibility in healthcare access
Enabling the personalization of treatment
Remote, real-time supervision
Reduction in healthcare costs
Improving the patient-physician relationship
Facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration
Promoting continuous updates and training.

In addition, the document includes practical case studies involving the application of Digital Therapeutics and Digital Health, both across Europe and in Spain, enabling an understanding of their impact and efficiency. They also list some of the companies that and dedicated to or include these digital solutions among their products, and our company, Persei vivarium, is included in the list. We are continuing to develop our own DTx focused on various diseases, using robust and clinically validated technology.

For all these reasons, the White Paper is expected to become the reference document for all stakeholders involved in the health sector, enabling the creation of a favorable and secure environment for the application of Digital Therapeutics, which will transform the healthcare system. All of this is possible thanks to solutions that offer new ways of treating diseases, enable the improvement of healthcare outcomes for patients, and produce greater efficiency in the system over the long term.

#DigitalTherapeutics #DTx #DigitalHealth #TerapiasDigitales