Digital tools such as apps, sensors, and AI-based solutions have become increasingly common in research on lifestyle interventions and self-management for chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. However, despite encouraging outcomes, few of these tools are actually implemented in everyday health care.

“It is frustrating to see how much effort goes into developing and testing digital solutions, only for them not to be used in clinical practice,” says Marie Löf, Professor of Nutrition at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet.

Planning and accessibility essential

In a new correspondence article in the journal Nature Medicine, Löf and Professor Ralph Maddison—Foreign Adjunct Professor at MedH since 1 July 2024—present six recommendations for researchers to increase the likelihood that their digital tools will reach patients.

The recommendations include planning for implementation at an early stage, considering appropriate business models, and ensuring that tools are accessible to all—regardless of language or literacy level.

“We hope our recommendations will serve as a useful guide for researchers, both in Sweden and internationally, so that digital tools can be more quickly integrated into health care and benefit patients,” says Löf.

The researchers are continuing their work developing and evaluating digital solutions, including a multilingual platform for self-care in gestational diabetes—where they are applying the six recommendations outlined in the article.