Recent Digital Health Trends, Insights, and News – November 2026
Recent Digital Health Trends, Insights, and News – November 2026
Can AI out-diagnose a physician? In one controlled study this month, it did, though the real test is still ahead. Elsewhere, HHS released a draft policy on six compounded peptides, the FDA finalized guidance on software that drug companies offer with their medications, and a wearable maker announced FDA clearance for cuffless blood pressure monitoring. Meanwhile, buyers are asking vendors to prove their results, and funding keeps flowing to bigger bets.
Here’s what’s driving digital health forward this month.
Technology, news, and insights
Microsoft’s AI outperforms physicians on complex diagnostic cases in controlled study
Microsoft’s diagnostic AI correctly identified 83.2% of complex cases, compared with 36.1% for generalist physicians using reference materials, in a study published in Science. The results suggest promise for AI-assisted diagnosis, but further testing is needed to understand how it performs in real-world care.
Read the full Unite AI article here >>
UnityPoint Health expands high-risk pregnancy care across Iowa through telehealth
UnityPoint Health – Des Moines is launching Iowa’s first statewide maternal-fetal medicine telehealth network to bring specialized pregnancy care closer to rural communities. With more than 57% of Iowa counties lacking obstetric services, the initiative connects local ultrasound providers with specialists in Des Moines for remote evaluations
Read the full UnityPoint Health announcement here >>
Policy and regulatory
HHS releases draft Interim Enforcement Discretion Policy for six peptides
HHS has released a draft, nonbinding interim enforcement discretion policy for six peptides. Under it, HHS does not intend to take enforcement action against state-licensed 503A pharmacies, federal facilities, and licensed physicians that compound these peptides for individual patients with a valid prescription, when specific conditions are met. The peptides have not been added to the 503A Bulk Drug Substances List, and they are not in Category 1 of FDA’s interim bulks policy.
Read the full Federal Register notice here >>
FDA finalizes guidance on software used with prescription drugs
The FDA has finalized guidance on software offered by pharmaceutical companies alongside prescription medications, such as companion apps. Under the guidance, information displayed to patients through these tools may be considered part of a drug’s labeling and must follow applicable FDA labeling regulations. Software not distributed by or for a drug sponsor falls outside the guidance.
Read the full FDA guidance here >>
FDA clears Happy Health’s ring for cuffless blood pressure monitoring
Happy Health has received FDA clearance for the blood pressure monitoring capabilities of its Happy Ring, a wearable primarily designed to track sleep. The company claims it’s the first blood pressure device that doesn’t require a traditional cuff or external calibration. This new feature uses optical and bioimpedance sensors to measure blood pressure, potentially offering greater insight into cardiovascular health.
Read the full MedCity News article here >>
Industry conversations
AMA outlines who’s responsible when clinical AI causes harm
The American Medical Association released a framework for assigning liability when clinical AI harms patients, matching responsibility to each party’s authority and ability to prevent harm. Developers must demonstrate and maintain their products’ safety and effectiveness, health systems and practices are accountable for how AI is selected, implemented, governed, and monitored, and physicians are responsible for the clinical judgment they can meaningfully exercise.
Read the full American Medical Association article here >>
Longevity clinics debate how to move beyond one-time diagnostics
At the fourth Roundtable of Longevity Clinics, convened by the International Institute of Longevity and chaired by Buck Institute CEO Eric Verdin, clinic leaders agreed the sector needs to move past one-time diagnostic snapshots toward a model that diagnoses, treats, and re-measures over time. Panelists said patients are arriving with their own AI-assisted analyses and insurers are beginning to engage. One researcher offered a simple test, measure, treat, then measure again, and said a clinic that doesn’t re-measure isn’t a longevity clinic.
Read the full longevity technology article here >>
Growth, funding, and innovation
Digital health purchasers prioritize performance and patient engagement
The Peterson Health Technology Institute’s 2026 State of Digital Health Purchasing report reveals a growing shift toward performance-based contracts, with 68% of employers and 55% of health plans tying payments to clinical and financial outcomes. Patient engagement remains a major challenge, with 47% of purchasers reporting enrollment rates below 25%. Despite these hurdles, 94% plan to maintain or increase digital health spending over the next year.
Read the full PHTI report here >>
Digital health funding hits $11.1B as investors favor bigger deals
Rock Health’s Q3 2026 market report reveals that U.S. digital health startups raised $3.7 billion across 114 deals in the third quarter, bringing year-to-date funding to $11.1 billion across 358 deals. The average deal size climbed to $31 million, up from $20.6 million in 2024, reflecting a shift toward fewer, larger investments. Merger and acquisition activity also remained steady, with 164 deals recorded through September, compared to 172 during the same period in 2025.
Read the full Rock Health report here >>
General Medicine raises $120M to expand its healthcare marketplace
General Medicine has secured $120 million in Series B funding to expand its online healthcare marketplace, bringing its total funding to $152 million. The platform allows patients to search, compare, and purchase care across more than 2,900 products and services, with upfront insurance and cash pricing and access to clinician guidance. Led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), the funding round will support expansion into additional categories of care.
Read the full MedCity News here >>
OpenLoop® resources & news
Six peptides now have an interim compounding pathway: Here’s what it means
HHS has released a draft interim enforcement discretion policy for six compounded peptides. It isn’t FDA approval, and the details matter. OpenLoop’s guide covers how we got here, the six peptides under the policy, what it actually means, what’s next, and what it could mean for your business.
Read the full OpenLoop blog here >>
Top 16 digital health conferences to attend in 2027
With conferences spanning AI, virtual care, and health IT, deciding which events are worth your time and budget can be a challenge. OpenLoop’s guide highlights 16 digital health events to consider in 2027, organized chronologically with dates, locations, attendee insights, and key takeaways to help you decide which are worth attending.
Read the full OpenLoop blog here >>
