Digital technologies to support self-management of asthma: early-use assessment

Digital technologies aim to support self-management of asthma by providing a digital personalised asthma action plan (PAAP), tailored education and tools for tracking symptoms and medicines. These features may improve medicine adherence and asthma control, reduce exacerbations and improve quality of life.

Technologies included in the scope vary in terms of:

• target population

• mode of delivery (apps, online platforms and additional hardware requirements)

• features and components.
  
  The final scope specified that the technologies should function independently of clinical oversight from healthcare professionals, such as through remote monitoring. It also specified that, as a minimum, the technologies should include:
  

• access to a PAAP

• evidence-based education on self-management

• tracking and monitoring of symptoms or lung function.
  
  The technologies identified had the following additional features:

• inhaler technique support

• alerts to seek medical help (except JOE Digital Therapeutic)

• environment alerts

• reminders for medicines or appointments

• medicine tracking (except Luscii).
  
  Digital technologies are offered after diagnosis or treatment initiation or during routine reviews. They could be offered in:

• primary care, such as GP surgeries

• secondary care, such as hospitals or specialist clinics

• tertiary centres

• the community, such as pharmacies or schools.
  
  They could also be used by carers, parents and community workers to support children or adults who are not able to self-manage their condition.

Details of the 9 technologies included in this assessment are in table 1. Further detail on mode of delivery and features (including symptoms and peak flow monitoring and PAAPs are storage and management) is in table 2 of the external assessment group (EAG) report and the addendum. Costs were estimated by the EAG using information provided by companies (see appendix C2 of the EAG's report and table 7 in the addendum). All the technologies are designed to be used on an ongoing basis, except JOE Digital Therapeutic. The company states this technology is intended to be used for an average duration of 6 months. Seven of the technologies are in use in the NHS. Two of the technologies (AsthmaTuner and JOE Digital Therapeutic) reported a planned release in the NHS in 2026. These 2 technologies will be included in recommendation 1.1 when they have Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC) approval and are available for use in the NHS.