Work to begin at new digital health institute

The formation of the new Digital Health Engagement Institute (DHEI) was publicly announced on Tuesday. The independent, not-for-profit foundation has been established by Peter Ohnemus, founder and CEO of the Zurich-based digital health company dacadoo. The DHEI will operate out of Zurich as well, while Ohnemus will also assume responsibility as Chairman of the foundation.

The DHEI has lofty ambitions centered on becoming the world’s leading research institute for digital health. It is aiming to make digital health engagement a widespread tool that benefits consumers around the world. To this end, academics and other specialists from all continents have joined forces, covering research areas including gamification, behavioral sciences, big data and data processing in healthcare settings in the process.

Together, this research union is planning to drive forward the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through what are known as lifestyle navigators as well as apps. These should motivate both healthy and at-risk groups of people to take personal responsibility and do something for the benefit of their health.

According to its press release, the DHEI sees itself as an institute with a focus on tackling the increasing case rates of diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases around the world. It cites the World Health Organization, which attributes the death of 41 million people per year to diseases of this kind. That corresponds to 71 percent of all deaths worldwide.

“In my opinion, the most pressing issues to humanity right now are global warming and NCD prevalence”, Ohnemus comments in the press release, adding that: “Through the institute, we aim to focus on prevention rather than treatment, since NCDs are largely derived from modifiable lifestyle choices, such as harmful alcohol or nicotine intake, lack of physical activity and an unhealthy diet”.