25.5.2021
Inaccurate and forgotten PEF measurement results eventually accelerated the development of digital asthma treatment solutions. Now, thousands of measurement results are automatically passed from patients to healthcare professionals every day – the patient gets better treatment and society saves, but who knows how to buy?
Everything began with a need: the weaknesses of the pen-and-paper recording method hindered asthma diagnoses. Indeed, a digital remote solution that delivers accurate measurement results in a timely manner has simplified not only the diagnosis and treatment of asthma, but has also reduced costs and saved the environment. Next, the position of the buyer should be made easier by explaining what a buyer should demand from a digital therapy.
What kind of digital solution is good?
All new treatments should improve the care of the patient. In addition, a digital therapy is good for the patient when it is easy to use. It is good for the nursing staff when the digital therapy is deployed in a controlled manner with a proper process and guidance, and when the new form of treatment will save their time in the future. It is good for society, for all of us, when there is evidence of its impact: what is the quantitative benefit?
What kind of evidence should be demanded?
None of us want to use a drug for which there is no evidence. Yet digitalization seems to be a mystical magic word which one can use as a guise to buy or sell anything – hey, it is a digital solution! But no, evidence must also be demanded from digital treatment solutions: how has the treatment been studied? Does the treatment save costs (including environmental costs), does it improve care, or maybe even both? And one should demand hard numbers from scientifically valid studies, not just settle for vague descriptions
Orla PEF remote measurement
Orla PEF remote monitoring modernizes asthma patients’ treatment pathway, improves treatment results, and reduces resource use.
Significant budgetary impact
As much as 25% of PEF monitoring is inadequately implemented by patients, despite good guidance. When our Orla PEF remote measurement system was analyzed in the city of Hämeenlinna’s health care services, the numbers on both cost savings and environmental impact were convincing: nurse time savings were 29%, doctors 27%, working-age patients 15% and those over 65 years of age 10%. In addition, the municipality saved 20% in costs, CO2 emissions were reduced by 12% and plastic waste by 12%. 1)
Improves commitment to treatment
In addition to the significant budgetary impact, PEF remote measurement takes care of patients: the patients always have contact with the medical staff via the application, and the application also reminds the patient of the measurements. Although patients are remote, they always feel that they are being cared for, which improves commitment to treatment.
The patient, the society, and the environment win
”A working digital solution combines three important things: better care for the patient, cost savings for the society and benefit for the environment. Considering both our INR measurements and our PEF measurements, we have already been involved in treating more than 5000 patients. We want to do meaningful work and continuously improve”, describes the CEO of Orla DTx Oy, Tuomas Mäkynen.
1) Nordic Healthcare Group, report 2017. eHealth Orla DTx-palvelujen taloudelliset, ympäristölliset ja yhteiskunnalliset hyödyt. Case: Astmapotilaiden hoito Hämeenlinnassa.