On September 13, 2017, analyst Brian Eastwood will share highlights from his latest research on the market for condition management solutions. This will coincide with the release of our latest Market Scan Report on this subject. If you’d like to join us, click here to register for the webinar.

Increasing pressure to control rising healthcare costs related to chronic conditions has led the industry to begin exploring the use of mobile apps, devices, and other digital interventions that help patients manage the symptoms of these conditions and, in certain cases, slow or even reverse their progression. Interest in condition management solutions is higher among the stakeholders responsible for paying for care (payers, self-insured employers, and patients) than it is among those who deliver care (healthcare organizations), though the wider adoption of value-based care (VBC) models that place increased financial risk on HCOs is expected to drive adoption among provider organizations. 

Selling to these stakeholders, as opposed to providing direct-to-consumer (DTC) products common in digital health markets such as fitness and nutrition, forces vendors to prove both clinical efficacy and return on investment (ROI) for their solutions, in addition to demonstrating ease of use and improved efficiency. While this has presented hurdles, it has also forced the condition management market to mature quickly, as pitches from vendors with good usability but no outcomes or ROI have fallen on deaf ears. 

Key Takeaways 

• Type 2 diabetes prevention has provided momentum. Government endorsement of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) in March 2016 catalyzed interest in a more holistic approach to condition management. 
• Payers and employers lead the way – HCOs remain focused on episodic condition management. 
• Vendors should focus on platforms, not just apps. Buyers are more interested in an extensible platform that can add value to entire organization. 
• Lifestyle management is the next step. Vendors must prepare to shift from addressing single conditions to the larger health, wellness, and lifestyle issues associated with living with comorbidities. 
• Behavior change is the end goal. Vendors are emphasizing subtle nudges and incremental progress that can achieve sustained behavior change and help people make better, healthier decisions.