On September 1, 2022, a successful symposium on mobile health applications in the management of chronic diseases took place. The event was jointly organized by the Cognition and Gender working group of the Department of Radiology in Münster and the MOLIT Institute.
The symposium focused on current developments in mobile healthcare, clinical application scenarios, cross-sector concepts, and legal aspects.
Short impulse talks covered topics such as health apps, the importance of patient integration, quality of life in chronic illness, and data exchange (data security and processing). These were brought together in a final panel discussion that reflected on the interdisciplinary nature of the topic.
Under the motto „Unity in Diversity“, it became clear that there is a wide range of digital support options in diagnostics and patient-physician interaction. However, they all share a common goal: improving the quality of care in the healthcare system.
Key themes included:
- the regulatory requirements for data security,
- ethical and legal considerations,
- the reflection of current healthcare structures and the adjustments needed for successful app integration,
- and the potential of value-based healthcare models.
Another focus was the broad consent model: discussions revolved around whether it simplifies data donation or, conversely, whether it truly increases transparency for patients.
The concept of the „empowered patient“, their right to informed consent, and control over their data took center stage.
The conclusion: Only interoperable and structured data can harmonize this diversity of digital solutions into a coherent system.
We would like to sincerely thank all speakers and participants for their contributions. The wide range of perspectives enabled interdisciplinary dialogue and highlighted where we currently stand, what remains to be done – and above all, how much potential lies in the integration of innovative digital health applications!