Why Digital Health Keeps Failing Patients - with David Pettigrew

Why are so few patients accessing the care they need when the tech is already here? In this episode, Henry Norton sits down with David Pettigrew CEO at my mhealth to unpack the real reasons digital health tools succeed or fail.

From overlooked rehabilitation gaps to the power of patient-first design, this conversation spotlights how we can actually get medtech into the hands of the people who need it most.

David shares his career pivot from corporate dream job to healthtech entrepreneur, and what it’s really like building products that serve thousands of patients. You’ll hear why uptake often has nothing to do with clinical data… and everything to do with how a product makes someone feel.

Key Topics

• Why David left a “dream job” for a mission-driven startup

• How digital health tools can close the rehab gap

• What makes an app truly “sticky” for users

• The business model tensions slowing down innovation

• Lessons from working directly with patients, not just clinicians

  
  

  Related Insights

• Simplicity drives adoption more than clinical complexity

• Patient awareness is often the biggest bottleneck
• Scaling isn’t just about funding — it’s about access and trust

Core Challenges

• Only 3% of patients in the U.S. get the rehab they need

• Traditional care pathways don’t scale to meet demand
• Many digital tools fail due to poor design and awareness

The Crux of MedTech podcast is brought to you by Cruxx, a specialist surgical robotics recruitment agency.

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