ESPE Abstracts

Background: Digital health solutions are paving the way for the management of long-term treatment with recombinant-human growth hormone (r-hGH) administration. Understanding the utility and challenges of adopting these digital health solutions is indispensable for improving adherence and achieving optimal growth outcomes. Clinical discussions were conducted to analyse healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) perceptions regarding the potential acceptance of digital health solutions.

Aim: To investigate the utilisation of digital healthcare in growth hormone (GH) therapy and the potential impact of HCPs’ perception towards the integration of digital health solutions.

Method: A participatory workshop was conducted in Taichung, Taiwan, on 18 February 2023 with nine paediatric endocrinologists and two patient support programme professionals, which was moderated by four facilitators. HCPs actively discussed the potential role of digital healthcare in enhancing adherence to medical prescriptions as well as diverse challenges faced by hospitals, HCPs, and patients and their families throughout GH therapy. Aluetta® with Smartdot™, a novel digitally connected, reusable, multi-dose injection pen device for administering r-hGH was used as a study case on the current scenario of usage of digital healthcare in GH therapy. The key attributes of Aluetta® with Smartdot™ device (including ergonomics, configuration, injection, Growzen™ connect and data collection) were examined. Experts’ perceptions on the addressed topics were discussed during the workshop session and final list of recommendations was agreed.

Results: HCPs emphasised the importance of digitalisation of the healthcare for optimal patient compliance, adherence to GH treatment and some key factors affecting the acceptance of these solutions mainly its ease-of-use, and accessible adherence monitoring. Aluetta® with Smartdot™ and Growzen™ ecosystem was recognised as a durable, easy-to-use device that can alleviate the fear of injection pain in patients hence, highlighting that digital health enables a trustworthy and unbiased method for adherence monitoring. Additionally, this study discussed the importance of novelty in digitalisation and evidence-based treatment strategies to motivate patients for improved growth outcomes.

Conclusion: HCPs highlighted that digital health solutions can facilitate the development of tailored GH treatment strategies, positively impacting patients’ motivation to receive r-hGH therapy, thus resulting in improved cost-effectiveness through reduced medication wastage. The uniqueness of Aluetta® with Smartdot™ and its benefits in improving patient adherence monitoring and care were highly valued by HCPs.