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Digital tracking of people with mental health conditions has the power to transform medical diagnostics and treatment, but its claims need careful scrutiny, says an expert in digital analytics from the University of Bath.
The approach, known as digital phenotyping , uses digital traces from smartphones, combined with medical data, and input from patients throughout the day. It offers a new route to detect and monitor various health conditions that scientists and startups are rapidly exploring, but critical questions remain, says Dr Brit Davidson from the University s School of Management, in General Hospital Psychiatry.
Although Dr Davidson believes that digital phenotyping has great potential she says that at present strong claims are often made without rigorous evidence.