Digital Health Revolution: Insights from the 2024 Report
Overview:
The 2024 report from the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) at Clarivate, titled "Research Impact in Society and the Economy: The Digital Health Revolution in Medical Care," provides a comprehensive view of the digital health sector's impact on society and the economy. The report leverages data from multiple sources within the Clarivate portfolio to offer a multi-dimensional perspective on both societal and academic benefits.
Key Findings:
1. Growth in Digital Health Publications:
- A significant surge in publications related to "digital health" and associated terms has been observed. From 39 publications in 2013, the number nearly multiplied by 70 in 2022, highlighting the exponential growth in interest and research within this field.
2. Focus on AI and Advanced Analytics:
- Sub-field growth analysis reveals that papers focusing on AI and advanced analytics in digital health have experienced the most significant growth over the past decade. This trend predates the mainstream commercial success of AI technologies like ChatGPT, suggesting foundational developments in AI within digital health.
3. Top Countries and Institutions:
- The report ranks the top 10 countries/regions and research institutions contributing to the field of digital health and AI-related methodologies based on publication output in journals indexed in the Web of Science between 2013 and 2022.
4. Patenting Activity:
- Patenting activity in digital health surpassed the growth rate of scientific literature publications between 2013 and 2022, with approximately 140,000 patented inventions identified. This indicates a significant shift towards patenting as a method of capturing innovation in digital health.
5. Dominant National Player:
- Mainland China emerges as the dominant player in AI patenting related to digital health, as evidenced by the analysis of patent filings and academic publications. This highlights the country's pivotal role in advancing digital health technologies through both academic and corporate efforts.
6. Corporate vs. Academic Contributions:
- The majority of patent assignees are corporates, suggesting that corporate activity in digital health research and technology has outpaced academic research. This implies a focus on securing intellectual property and achieving market advantage among established and startup firms.
7. External Impact of Research:
- The report emphasizes the need for empirical evidence to assess the societal impact of research effectively, contrasting with anecdotal accounts. It underscores the challenge in establishing universally applicable indicators for comparing societal impact across different fields.
Conclusion:
This report showcases the transformative potential of digital health in advancing medical care and improving societal well-being. By integrating data from diverse sources, it provides insights into the growing influence of digital health research and innovations. However, it also raises critical considerations regarding the measurement and validation of societal impact, emphasizing the importance of empirical evidence in evaluating the full spectrum of research benefits.
