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. 2024 Jul 10:15:1419667.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1419667. eCollection 2024.

Healthcare professionals' perspectives towards the digitalisation of paediatric growth hormone therapies: expert panels in Italy and Korea

Octavio Rivera Romero  1 , Hyun Wook Chae  2 , Maria Felicia Faienza  3   4 , Edoardo Vergani  5 , Chong Kun Cheon  6 , Raffaella Di Mase  7 , Francesco Frasca  8 , Hae Sang Lee  9 , Claudia Giavoli  10   11 , Jihyun Kim  12 , Antonella Klain  13 , Jung Eun Moon  14 , Maria Laura Iezzi  15 , James Yeh  16 , Antonio Aversa  17 , Young-Jun Rhie  18 , Ekaterina Koledova  19
Affiliations

Healthcare professionals' perspectives towards the digitalisation of paediatric growth hormone therapies: expert panels in Italy and Korea

Octavio Rivera Romero et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Introduction: To analyse the perspectives of healthcare professionals (HCPs) regarding the acceptance of digital health solutions for growth hormone (GH) deficiency care. This study identified factors impacting HCPs' intent to use and recommend digital solutions supporting recombinant-human growth hormone (r-hGH) therapy in Italy and Korea with a use case of connected drug delivery system (Aluetta® with Smartdot™) integrated in a platform for GH treatment support (the Growzen™ digital health ecosystem).

Methods: Participatory workshops were conducted in Rome, Italy, and Seoul, Korea, to collect the perspectives of 22 HCPs on various predefined topics. HCPs were divided into two teams, each moderated by a facilitator. The workshops progressed in five phases: introduction of the project and experts, capturing views on the current context of digitalisation, perceived usefulness and ease of use of Aluetta® with Smartdot™, exploration of the perception of health technology evolution, and combined team recommendations. Data shared by HCPs on technology acceptance were independently analysed using thematic analysis, and relevant findings were shared and validated with experts.

Results: HCPs from both Italy and Korea perceived Aluetta® with Smartdot™ and the Growzen™ based digital health ecosystem as user-friendly, intuitive, and easy-to-use solutions. These solutions can result in increased adherence, a cost-effective healthcare system, and medication self-management. Although technology adoption and readiness may vary across countries, it was agreed that using digital solutions tailored to the needs of users may help in data-driven clinical decisions and strengthen HCP-patient relationships.

Conclusion: HCPs' perspectives on the digitalisation in paediatric GH therapies suggested that digital solutions enable automatic, real-time injection data transmission to support adherence monitoring and evidence-based therapy, strengthen HCP-patient relationships, and empower patients throughout the GH treatment process.

Keywords: Aluetta®Smartdot™; adherence monitoring; connected device; digital health; healthcare digitalisation; recombinant human growth hormone.

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Conflict of interest statement

All attendees (HCPs) received a fee for participation. EV received fee as consultant from Merck Serono Italy. ORR has participated in an advisory board for Merck. EK is an employee of Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and holds shares in the company. JY is an employee of Merck Ltd., Seoul, South Korea, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Growzen™ digital health ecosystem. Aluetta® with Smartdot™ is used to provide growth hormone injections to patients and transmit real-time injection data. Growzen™ Buddy is a mobile app for patients and caregivers to guide them for growth hormone therapy. Growzen™ Connect healthcare professional platform is used by healthcare professionals to track treatment adherence and outcomes for growth hormone patients. HCPs, healthcare professionals.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Workshop structure.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Patient-centric digital health solutions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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