An app to assist with asthma self-management could save the NHS up to £25m in a year if it were used by 100,000 patients for three months, a report has found.
The digital asthma tool could also help tackle health inequalities, with 54% of users from deprived communities, according to the evaluation by UCLPartners.
The Digital Health Passport (DHP) – an asthma/allergy self-management app designed for teenagers, young adults and the parents/carers of pre-teens – is designed to make it easier for patients to monitor and control their condition.
The evaluation of the digital tool found that the 1,106 users had an average increase of 2.24 points in their Asthma Control Test (ACT) score.
By improving asthma control, the report said DHP could result in fewer out-of-hours and emergency appointments and fewer face-to-face annual reviews.
And the reduced healthcare cost as a result of enhanced asthma control has a potential return on investment of £9.28 for every £1 spent over three years, the report said.
DHP rollout is currently at ‘Level 1’, which means the app links to regional services and resources but is not interoperable with other NHS digital services, such as the NHS app, local shared care records, or individual practice systems.
The app, which has been created by Tiny Medical Apps, focuses on achieving better asthma outcomes by optimising the delivery of the key elements of the asthma care pathway, specifically for children and young people.
This includes making asthma plans smarter with signposting from symptom trackers and improving medication adherence by ordering repeat prescriptions within the app, automated medication reminders, inhaler videos and tracking diaries.
The digital asthma tool also helps patients avoid triggers with air quality alerts and personalised allergy education. And it improves knowledge about asthma by focusing on seven core learning modules and regular reinforcement.
The report also highlighted that TikTok had been particularly effective in engaging young people, demonstrating the importance of targeted digital outreach.
Last month, a report by the Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation revealed that respiratory waiting lists had increased by 263% between May 2014 and May 2024, which is thought to be a consequence of increasing emergency care needs diverting resources away from planned care.
At this year’s European Respiratory Society Congress, a trial showing vocal changes recorded on a smartphone could signal the start of a COPD exacerbation was among the research presented under the Congress’s humans and machines theme.
A version of this article was originally published by our sister publication Healthcare Leader.
