Dr. Hays is Research Assistant, Division of Digital Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Torous is Director, Division of Digital Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Farrell is Lecturer, Harvard Medical School, and Psychiatrist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
Disclosures Mr. Hays and Dr. Farrell report no financial relationships with any companies whose products are mentioned in this article, or with manufacturers of competing products. Dr. Torous receives grant support from Otsuka.
Discussion: Genomic sequencing and digital phenotyping
Although smartphones can gather a wide range of active and passive data, other data streams hold potential for predicting relapse and performing other clinically relevant actions. One data stream that could be of clinical use is genomic sequencing.12 The genotyping of patients provides a wealth of information about the underlying biology, and genomic sequencing has never been cheaper.13
Combining the data gathered via digital phenotyping with that of genotyping could help elucidate the mechanisms by which specific diseases and symptoms occur. This could be very promising to better understand and treat our patients. However, as is the case with genomics, digital phenotyping has important ethical implications. If used in the proper way to benefit our patients, the future for this new method is bright.
