Mark Levy, FRCGP: New Technology Improves Asthma Care

Technology has become an increasingly important facet of health care, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

While in person appointments have been minimized during the ongoing pandemic, health care has largely shifted to a virtual setting.

And while as time goes on more and more in-person appointments have reemerged, new technology could be here to stay.

One such technology is a new digital inhaler presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2020 (ERS 2020) that alerts the user if they are using the inhaler incorrectly.

The effect of the device could ultimately reduce asthma hospitalizations, which is especially important in the midst of a pandemic.

In the 696 patient study, the investigators found the digital inhaler helped identify patterns of use and provided clinically meaningful information early and facilitated physician-patient interventions and conversations.

Digital inhalers and other new technology could also help provide doctors with constant data streams, leading to better disease understanding.

In an interview with HCPLive®, Mark L. Levy, FRCGP, a general practitioner and asthma expert based in the UK, explained how the digital inhaler could end up an important tool in the future of health care.