Revolutionising Healthcare: Inside the Week-Long Master Class Shaping the Future of Digital Therapeutics
Future Health Technologies (FHT) launched the Precision Digital Therapeutics (PDTx) Master Class in collaboration with Centre of Health Innovation, National Healthcare Group, and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine from 12 to 17 January 2025.
“Why don’t we just do a hackathon?”
Addressing complex healthcare challenges demands a comprehensive approach. While hackathons promote rapid ideation, they lack the structured learning and in-depth engagement necessary for a sustainable digital therapeutics. Healthcare challenges require not only technical expertise but also clinical insights, regulatory considerations, and business strategy—elements that cannot be effectively covered in a single hackathon.
To bridge this gap, Future Health Technologies (FHT) launched the Precision Digital Therapeutics (PDTx) Master Class in collaboration with Centre of Health Innovation, National Healthcare Group, and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine from 12 to 17 January 2025. Participants were carefully screened and selected based on their diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. To promote global participation, FHT awarded travel grants, enabling individuals from various regions to attend. The selected 21 participants joined us for an intensive week-long programme designed to develop the next generation of digital health innovators.
The workshop provided structured learning sessions led by researchers, expert mentorship from industry leaders and healthcare professionals, and co-creation opportunities with patients to develop scientifically rigorous, commercially viable, and impactful PDTx solutions. The structured environment also enabled participants to work in cross-functional teams, ensuring that every solution is approached from multiple perspectives. This collaborative model is essential for developing robust, real-world PDTx applications that are both innovative and sustainable.
Unlike short innovation sprints, the PDTx Master Class offerred in-depth technical content delivered through expert-led keynotes, panel discussions, and case studies. Key sessions were structured according to the five phases of the design and evaluation framework for digital health intervention: Preparation, Optimisation, Evaluation, Implementation, and Scale. These sessions provide participants with a solid foundation in the latest research, methodologies, and commercialisation strategies, setting the master class apart from conventional innovation programs.
The success of PDTx depends on the collaboration among clinicians, patients, and the industry. Digital health solutions must be co-designed to address real-world challenges in patient care and clinical workflows. This process has already led to the development of several key projects, including a chatbot for gestational diabetes management, a digital therapeutic framework targeting frailty in older adults, an intervention to break the itch-scratch cycle in eczema patients, and an integrated approach to back pain management linking patients, doctors, and physiotherapists.
By immersing participants in structured, research-driven learning, the master class ensures that solutions developed are not only innovative but also scientifically validated and commercially viable. This focus on evidence-based methodologies helps bridge the gap between digital health research and real-world implementation.
As an internationally-recognised research programme, Future Health Technologies (FHT) plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of PDTx innovation. The PDTx Master Class exemplifies FHT’s commitment to bridging the gap between research and industry, fostering collaboration between academics, clinicians, and business leaders, and producing high-impact research that drives digital health advancements.
Beyond structured learning, the master class serves as a launchpad for long-term collaboration. Participants not only gain technical expertise but also build a network of potential mentors, partners, and investors, laying the groundwork for future PDTx solutions.
For those interested in contributing to the next wave of digital health innovation—whether as students, researchers, or industry partners—FHT provides an unparalleled platform for knowledge exchange and co-creation.
The PDTx Master Class is more than a training programme; it is a catalyst for real-world impact. By equipping participants with the necessary technical knowledge, strategic insights, and industry connections, it ensures that the next generation of PDTx innovators is well-prepared to transform healthcare. Prospective partners and students are encouraged to connect with FHT to explore collaboration opportunities and contribute to the future of precision digital therapeutics.