This year’s Frontiers Health Global Conference is just a few weeks away, where thought leaders, policy makers, industry stakeholders, and innovative companies will once again meet to discuss the ongoing challenges and strategic trends likely to impact healthcare.
This will be another hybrid event, yet the format will differ from 2020. While last year saw a mix of on and off-line virtual sessions, and activities at local hubs across Europe and the US; this year, those attending in person will all be in Milan for the 11th and 12th of November, while others around the globe can tune in online. Hybrid conferences seem here to stay for now, but hopefully this format will bring the best of both worlds.
Where does digital health fit in the ‘new normal’, or is it just telehealth?
There’s been talk of ‘the new normal’ since the world was thrust into the pandemic almost two years ago, and this seems set to continue at Frontiers Health. What type of new normal we’re seeing across digital health in general is a source of much debate, but one area that has undoubtedly ramped up is telehealth. It’s no surprise then, to see this listed in the top four topics for the conference alongside digital therapeutics (DTx), digital transformation, and funding and scaling.
It’s fair to say that seeing telehealth so prominently featured pre-pandemic at a conference focused right on the frontier of digital health would have been a surprise, given it had gained a reputation as a dated area in the industry. Yet, it has proven its value in the past 18 months – facilitating the continuation of healthcare in unprecedented circumstances and acting as an introduction to digital health for many. Our own research last year shined a light on how use of telehealth solutions changing patients’ attitude to and willingness to use digital health solutions in general. We’re looking forward to seeing how far telehealth can expand and how it can make the best impact for patients.
Digital therapeutics are here to stay
DTx is a key theme of this year’s conference again. While the digital health industry lexicon has been in flux for many years, as new terms enter vogue and some are abandoned, DTx has established itself as one of the most promising areas of innovation. This year, DTx will be explored in sessions on:
- Patent protections
- Regulatory developments
- Reimbursement strategies
- Data protection
- Open-sourcing healthcare
Tune in from home if you can’t be there in-person
Whether you’re lucky enough to be in Milan for the in-person event, or tuning in from home or the office, there’s likely to be plenty of innovative discussions and impressive presentations at Frontiers Health this year. Keep an eye out for the full agenda on the event website.
