Ataturk University

The American Telemedicine Association this week announced that its ATA Action advocacy group has acquired the Digital Therapeutics Alliance, which focuses on driving uptake of software-based healthcare tools. Together, they say they'll create an advocacy organization, the Advancing Digital Health Coalition, designed to help ensure that telehealth, virtual care and DTx interventions become dependable options for care delivery. "Our goal is to create a unified voice to shape healthcare policies, ensuring that telehealth and digital therapeutics remain integral components of the U.S. healthcare system," Kyle Zebley, executive director ATA Action and senior vice president of public policy at the ATA, said in a statement. WHY IT MATTERS The Advancing Digital Health Coalition will advocate for transformative patient care technologies and build upon the work of the DTA, focusing on the advancement of digital therapeutics, prescription drug use-related software, digital mental health treatment devices and remote monitoring devices, according to ATA Action's announcement Monday. The coalition will also expand into artificial intelligence, digital diagnostics and cutting-edge devices that support care-at-home programs, the organizations said. With the larger transaction, DTA's members, leadership and staff, along with its programs, resources and task groups, are being integrated into ATA Action and the ATA. Andy Molnar, who will be the head of digital health at ATA Action and lead the new coalition, explained in a statement that DTA pursued this acquisition because of the synergies between the organizations. "Together, we are well-positioned to continue to lead policy and advocacy efforts that will remove the barriers and build the infrastructures to create permanent access to telehealth, broadly defined and ensure that the global regulatory and reimbursement momentum continues for digital therapeutics, following a landmark year for the industry," said Molnar, who is currently CEO of DTA and a member of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Digital Health Advisory Committee. The combined organization will focus on ensuring appropriate reimbursement, engaging with federal and state governments on digital health regulations, expanding partnerships and opportunities in the U.S. and around the world and improving access to evidence-based digital interventions in healthcare delivery. "Our expanded efforts will boost educational initiatives and convenings, leverage more resources and support our shared mission to better serve our members and the broader digital health community," Ann Mond Johnson, ATA's CEO, added. THE LARGER TREND DTA has developed frameworks – such as the product library incorporating industry core principles – to ensure the efficacy of apps and tools used in healthcare, encouraged health equity in HIT and spearheaded data interoperability initiatives . In June, DTA partnered with DirectTrust, developing criteria for a digital therapeutics accreditation program for testing the apps and platforms for safety and transparency, privacy protections and compliance with interoperability regulations and best practices. "With an overwhelming number of products touting a wide range of clinical rigor, it is critical that we set a high bar to build trust," Molnar had said in the program announcement. ATA has a long history of partnership. In 2021, the ATA formed the Telehealth Equity Coalition with the Health Innovation Alliance, Hims & Hers, Adaptation Health the National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved and others to identify opportunities and better advocate to improve telehealth policy and improve utilization of covered services. More recently, ATA launched its Center of Digital Excellence with big-name health systems, including Intermountain, Mayo Clinic, MedStar, Ochsner, Stanford Health and UPMC, to drive innovation in virtual care pathways. "Through CODE, we are convening top health systems to establish models that seamlessly integrate digital care into broader care delivery approaches," Mond Johnson said in the December announcement. ON THE RECORD "ATA Action is bringing together some of the most innovative minds in healthcare, committed to solving critical gaps in care delivery to redefine how patients receive care," Zebley said in a statement. "Our goal is to create a unified voice to shape healthcare policies, ensuring that telehealth and digital therapeutics remain integral components of the U.S. healthcare system." Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT News. Email: afox@himss.org Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.