Topic: Digital Health Interventions and Telemedicine in the Aftermath of a Global Pandemic

Digital health interventions, particularly telemedicine, have played a significant role during the COVID-19 pandemic for remote management of patients. In this context, such interventions have demonstrated their effectiveness in improving the surveillance of patients, curbing the spread of disease, facilitating timely identification and management of individuals in need, and, most importantly, guaranteeing continuous care for frail patients with multiple chronic diseases. During the pandemic, various issues emerged, testing the prompt and efficient implementation of telemedicine. COVID-19 provided a useful testing ground for refining existing solutions and exploring new applications, all with the overarching goal of establishing the right strategies and models for ensuring the sustainability of digital health interventions in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Scope of the Special Issue
This Special Issue aims to provide a picture of the most recent research on digital health interventions and telemedicine applications following the COVID-19 pandemic and their effectiveness in tackling the current and future challenges in managing acute and chronic conditions when face-to-face encounters are not feasible. The topics of interest will include, but not be limited to:
● Emerging technologies for effective digital health interventions;
● Proof-of-concept for solutions that can be effective and enduring;
● Definition of regulatory activities to support the proper implementation of digital interventions (e.g., cybersecurity and respect for users’ privacy, certification of technological platforms, education, training, and licensing of operators, reimbursement plans);
● Levels of integration of digital health interventions with traditional healthcare services;
● Formulation and implementation of practical guidelines and standards for the optimal use of digital health interventions;
● Solutions devised and implemented to reduce patients' and healthcare professionals’ unawareness and inertia in the adoption of digital health solutions;
● Solutions to overcome technological, infrastructural, and economic barriers in the implementation of sustainable digital health interventions;
● The potential for digital health interventions to mitigate inequalities among countries (e.g., low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high-income countries), genders, population subgroups (e.g., according to the type or severity of disease, etc.).

30 Apr 2024