On-Demand Digital Tools Lead to Better Health Outcomes, Lower Costs, Study Finds

Many patients seek assistance for prevention and management of health conditions outside of normal business hours, especially for chronic conditions, according to a recent research letter. Therefore, these findings support the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to expand care to patients after hours.

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“Programs powered by AI can augment primary care by improving efficiency, increasing patient engagement, and providing timely support,” wrote the researchers. “Although there is considerable conjecture regarding why digital programs are used, and increasing evidence of their benefits, there are gaps in understanding how these programs are used.”

This cross-sectional study, published in JAMA Open Network, aimed to use real-time behavioral data from AI-powered programs to demonstrate when patients were most inclined to seek support among an insured population.

Data were collected from 79,437 members who participated in 1,464,752 unique coaching sessions from January 2023 to April 2023 using the AI platform Lark, which offers chronic disease prevention and management programs to insured patients. The platform includes support for diabetes prevention, diabetes care, hypertension care, heart health, and general wellness.

The researchers examined the percentage of coaching sessions that occurred by hour from Monday to Sunday, categorizing coaching according to business hours (Monday to Friday between 8 AM and 5 PM) and after-hours (Monday to Friday outside of 8 AM to 5 PM, and weekends). Additionally, the researchers evaluated differences in business hour and after-hour coaching by age and sex.

The mean (SD) age of the 75,161 members who provided their age was 47.5 (11.5) years, and 75,648 (73.6%) of the members who provided their sex were female. However, members infrequently provided race and ethnicity information, so it was not included in the study.

Regardless of age, members exhibited similar behaviors and sought support in the evening hours, with 35.2% of all session occurring during business hours and 64.8% occurring during after-hours. Adults aged 50 to 64 years had the most sessions after hours (65.4%), compared with adults aged 18 to 34 years, who engaged the least after hours (62.1%). This business vs after-hour split did not differ by sex (P = .68).

Furthermore, the mean (SD) session duration was 4.78 (0.01) minutes. Members 75 years and older had the highest mean (SD) session duration of 5.71 (0.20) minutes (P = .01 vs those aged 18-34 years; P = .009 vs those aged 35-49 years; P = .03 vs those aged 50-64 years). Female patients had the longer sessions (mean [SE], 4.79 [0.01] minutes) compared with male patients (mean [SE], 4.43 [0.02] minutes).

However, the researchers acknowledged some limitations to the study, including the fact these changes only reflected average member behavior; factors such as seasonality and the length of the program may help understand whether utilization patterns of these platforms change over time. Additionally, the researchers noted that future studies should evaluate the effects of employment status on utilization behavior.

Despite these limitations, the study suggests a need for on-demand prevention and management support for patients with chronic conditions who often seek these resources during after-business hours, using digital health tools and platforms.

“Digital solutions cannot address all health care concerns,” wrote the researchers. “However, on-demand, personalized support for prevention and management of chronic conditions can address issues before they arise, leading to better health outcomes and lower costs.”

Reference

Graham SA, Pickus SK, Lockwood KG, Buch LS, Dunn P, Paruthi J. Business vs after-hours use of an artificial intelligence–powered digital health platform among insured patients. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(9):e2333511. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.33511