Considerations for the Adoption of Digital Algorithms and Cardiovascular Decision-Support Tools in Clinical Practice.

Journal: Critical pathways in cardiology
Published Date: Jan 15, 2026

Abstract

AIMS: Early detection of cardiovascular disease and implementation of evidence-based treatments can reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Medical algorithms and decision-making tools provide a compelling option for screening, risk prediction and treatment management. Such digital tools have the potential to aid both healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients, providing support to decrease unwarranted diagnostic and treatment variability while guiding personalized care, with the overall objective of improving clinical outcomes. However, incorporating digital tools in healthcare settings is challenging, and evidence the required to support their adoption and understand the limitations can be lacking. METHODS AND RESULTS: A multi-national panel of expert cardiologists and emergency physicians across North America, Europe, and Oceania gathered to deliberate on the current landscape of digital tools and medical algorithms, drawing on prior clinical experiences and knowledge of country-specific regulations. In this viewpoint, the evidence to support and guide the adoption of digital tools in cardiovascular clinical practice and the necessary components for successful integration into clinical workflows were discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Digital tools must be developed with the needs of the HCPs, other relevant stakeholders (e.g., administration personnel), and patients in mind to give them the best chance of widespread adoption. Academia, industry, and regulatory bodies should work together to cultivate and accelerate the implementation of digital tools in healthcare. The considerations discussed here may help decision makers to determine if a digital tool has the components necessary to integrate into the clinical workflow successfully.

Authors

  • Christopher W Baugh
    Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
  • C Michael Gibson
    Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • Evangelos Giannitsis
    Department of Internal Medicine III, Cardiology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany; [email protected].
  • David A Morrow
    Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; [email protected].
  • James L Januzzi
    Division of Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
  • Cynthia Papendick
    Department of Health, SA Health, South Australian, Adelaide, Australia.
  • Hans-Peter Brunner-La Rocca
    Department of Cardiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
  • Lori B Daniels
    UC San Diego Department of Medicine - Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037.
  • Helena Palau
    Digital Technology & Healthcare Information, Healthcare Expertise, Clinical Value and Validation, Roche Diagnostics S.L., Barcelona, Spain; [email protected].
  • Ludovica Visciola
    Medical Affairs Lead, Digital Solutions, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs (CDMA), Roche Diagnostics Solutions, Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland; [email protected].
  • Martin Than
    Department of Emergency Medicine, Christchurch Hospital, University of Otago Christchurch, Christchurch, New Zealand. [email protected].

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