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

NICE has said that the following digital technologies can be used in the NHS to support people to manage their asthma themselves:

• Asthmahub
• Asthmahub for parents
• Digital Health Passport
• Luscii
• myAsthma
• RDMP (Respiratory Disease Management Platform)
• Smart Asthma.

These technologies can only be used once they have appropriate regulatory approval, including Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC) approval from NHS England.

More evidence is being collected for these technologies. You might be asked if details of your treatment can be collected as evidence. You can ask your healthcare professional about how your information will be stored and used.

These digital technologies have several features that can help people manage their asthma, including by:

• educating them about asthma
• providing a digital personalised asthma plan
• tracking and monitoring symptoms, lung function and medicine use
• supporting them with using their inhaler
• alerting them to seek medical help
• communicating with healthcare professionals.

These features may help people with asthma to:

• keep to their prescribed medicines and treatment plan
• control their asthma and reduce exacerbations
• improve their quality of life.

Are these technologies right for me?

Your healthcare professionals should give you clear information, talk with you about your options and listen carefully to your views and concerns. Your family can be involved too, if you wish. See the NICE webpage on shared decision making.

Questions to think about

• How well do they work compared with other ways of managing asthma?
• What are the risks? How likely are they?
• Is there any additional support to help me use these digital technologies?
• How will using a digital technology affect my day-to-day life?
• What happens if using a digital technology to self-manage asthma does not work?
• What happens if I do not want to use or cannot access a digital technology? Are other ways of managing asthma available?
• How will my information be used, if it is collected?

Information and support

The NHS webpage on asthma may be a good place to find out more.

Asthma and Lung UK (0300 222 5800) can give you advice and support.

You can also get support from your local Healthwatch.

NICE is not responsible for the quality or accuracy of any information or advice provided by these organisations.

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