Digital Health Supporting Self-Care and Awareness
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The UK is seeing an explosion in mental health digital services and support. The strong growth of this sector of mHealth Apps supports that view, as patients and clients are clearly ready to embrace new digital services.
As with all things digital there are a plethora of Apps and self-care platforms to meet this growing need and expectations of consumers, patients and healthcare systems.
Digital self-care can facilitate and promote self–care for people seeking services or information within the public or private sectors, while maintaining privacy for individuals engaging in self motivated health behaviours. Leveraging digital technology can also reach people in new ways, for example helping minimize stigma and discrimination associated with sensitive health areas such as sexual and reproductive health and rights.
There is a significant intersection of self-care and digital health with Digital Health devices (smartphones, wearable devices and other similar technology). This has increased immediacy and access to critical health services and other areas, but also presents numerous challenges. Issues around developing practical guidance through effectively designed digital health support and Apps have never been more relevant than now.
There are liability risks for those involved in providing such services, and means that accountability may not be clear between the differing parties.
The growth in this sector is undeniable, however, risks that can be incurred have to be recognised.
- Companies that handle data collected from the device if part of the service. Those that are designing, developing, AI, Chat bots or services linked to support and more.
- Companies in a vendor capacity, i.e. software houses. The range of examples is endless, from data security concerns i.e. hacking and theft of users details, through to the failure of software in a device causing an injury or worse.
The range of interconnected services and devices will only continue to grow, which in turn will only increase the use and sharing of data and professional responsibilities. This means the emergence of new and evolving risks. A good insurance programme is of course a backstop for the potential financial impact of such risks.
Potential claim areas for self-care and awareness
- Inappropriate contact or patient relationship
- Failure of product or device or failure to use product correctly resulting in physical harm to a user/patients
- Issues with the interpretation and self-help diagnosis of the data provided
- Where the client is located as could be worldwide and outside of the licensed jurisdiction
- Issues around provision of adequate care for patients and clients due to human error,treatment or advice
- Cyber related systems failure or attack
- Clients alleging that the expertise or professional qualifications were not appropriate,issues with alleged competence or experience being unfairly represented
- Crucial patient signs or symptoms are missed or advice given too late
Claims examples
- A healthcare organisation providing self-care advice via a digital application was affected by a phishing attack which exposed 20,000 patients information. An employee had clicked on the phishing emails, forensics found some evidence of data exfiltration. Data included patients’ names, clinical information, phone number, addresses and, insurance information.
Examples of claims scenarios are not based on actual claims, but are highlighted and shared to evidence where claims may emanate, it should also be noted that insurance coverage provided is very much on a client by client basis so may not provide all the coverage for the examples shown in this ‘discussion document
Howden Insurance Solutions for Digital Healthcare Companies
Digital Healthcare companies are searching for ways to manage their ever-evolving risks. It is essential that a robust insurance programme, that is as nimble and flexible as you are, is put in place to manage as much of this risk as possible and help protect you, your business, your customers, your clients and your employees.
Howden’s Digital Healthcare team are deeply embedded within the sector, and understand the unique challenges that providers face on a day-to-day basis. This means that our model of insurance is specifically designed to service the digital healthcare companies, creating tailored policies to suit your specific needs and circumstances, without gaps or conflicting overlaps in cover.