Page 29 - COH Newsletter

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Scientific Corner

Digital Lifestyle Medicine
Ms. Dima El-Halabi, Senior Instructor, Human Nutrition and Dietetics Program

Lifestyle medicine (LM) is a major emerging field in medicine, and new models of care are required to meet
the worldwide disease burden. Leveraging virtual and digital modalities enables care transformation to
a more efficient, effective, and consumer-focused model while reducing barriers to access.

Of particular importance to LM is the ongoing engagement with a multidisciplinary team to support
significant lifestyle changes. Digital engagement makes LM relevant and effective for patients by bringing
it into the context where lifestyle changes are made, and individuals adopt new patterns of eating, moving,
managing stress, improving sleep, enhancing social connections, and avoiding unhealthy substances.

Designing and implementing a Digital Lifestyle Medicine (DLM) framework requires an intentional
strategy and approach around care transformation that includes multidisciplinary virtual appointments,
digital health coaching and programming, and peer support. In addition, it requires insights and
collaboration from healthcare experts and technology entrepreneurs to provide a profoundly different
user experience layered with context, relevance, and scalability.

The DLM was implemented through the Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP), where several
virtual visit types are offered, including provider consults, shared medical appointments (SMAs), medical
nutrition therapy (MNT), tobacco and nicotine consultation, and health coaching. Several other ways of
engagement with the LM team include webinars, book clubs, and a Facebook group. Health coaching
is also a critical component to successful and sustained behavior change. Prescribing health apps and
digital therapeutics provide an opportunity to extend behavior change support. Social and peer support
are other critical components to successful and sustained change. Digital and virtual modalities enable
patients and community members to connect on an ongoing basis, in real-time, and without physical
proximity.

DLM offers a path to supporting health with key characteristics that enable transformation and
meaningful population-level impact. The authors believe that the full realization of DLM occurs at the
intersection of science, technology, entertainment, and social health. At that intersection, the power of
DLM can truly transform the future of medicine and inspire communities to stay well.

References:
Mauriello, L., and Artz, K. (2021). Digital Lifestyle Medicine: Designing, Delivering, and Scaling for Impact. American Journal of Lifestyle
Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276211029219

Abu Dhabi University | The College of Health Sciences E-Magazine | Issue 2 2021-2022 Academic Year