How Digital Healthcare is Diversifying ADHD Treatment Plans

ADHD treatment has traditionally centred on diagnosis, medication where appropriate, and ongoing monitoring and support.

However, with the inexorable rise of digital healthcare platforms, this pattern of treatment is changing.

For the millions of people living with ADHD globally, the increasing integration of digital healthcare platforms into ADHD treatment offers a novel approach to managing their symptoms.

People with ADHD can struggle to focus, stay organised, follow instructions, or meet deadlines, which can lead to frustration and low self-esteem. 

These challenges can affect school, work, and relationships. While most people experience some of these symptoms occasionally, they tend to be more frequent or severe with ADHD.

The development reflects a broader trend across chronic condition management, in which vendors and manufacturers are shifting from single-point treatment toward continuous, ecosystem-based support.

Calm Health leads the way

Among the platforms gaining traction is Calm Health, a clinical digital mental health product developed by psychologists and operated as the healthcare-focused division of consumer wellness app Calm. 

Calm is one of the world’s leading digital wellness apps and was valued at US$2bn at the time of its last valuation in 2020.

The platform differentiates itself from general wellness offerings through personalised, evidence-based action plans, including ADHD-specific programming aimed at habit formation, self-management and day-to-day symptom navigation.

By developing content specifically around challenges associated with ADHD, Calm Health is targeting a more defined use case than general-purpose wellness tools.

Partnering with clinical developers

Increasingly, digital healthcare platforms are forming strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical firms developing ADHD medication.

One of these is Tris Pharma, which recently partnered with Calm Health to provide patients starting treatment on Tris’ DYANAVEL XR ADHD medication with complimentary access to the platform. 

Manesh Naidu, Chief Commercial Officer at Tris Pharma, explains why ADHD can be such a challenging condition to treat.

He says: “ADHD can be a complex disease that presents differently from person to person. While medication can be an effective treatment option, many patients will try different therapies looking for the right one for them.

“Quite a few of them have what is called a 'crash' at the end of the day because their medication doesn't support them across the day.”

Tris’ own ADHD medications are “based on a unique extended-release mechanism that delivers the treatment continuously for a smooth release profile,” explains Manesh.

Broader treatment options

By partnering with digital healthcare providers, ADHD medication developers can offer people living with the condition a broader, more holistic set of treatment-management resources that extend beyond medication alone.

Tris Pharma has also paired the Calm Health partnership with a second agreement structured around a different distribution channel: a collaboration with ADHD Central, a manufacturer of screen-free organisational products, including its ON TRACK Cards system. 

The dual-partnership structure indicates that drug developers in the ADHD space are not treating "digital-first" support as the only viable model – for patient populations with high screen fatigue, analogue tools may be used more frequently.

Manesh explains: “We believe the future of ADHD care is about prioritising the full patient experience: diagnosis, treatment, daily support and everything in between. 

“We are also committed to helping patients and caregivers access tools for mental wellness and organisation that complement treatment. Through partnerships like the ones we have with Calm Health and ADHD Central, we can help patients access some of these options. 

“Ultimately, meeting people where they are means pairing individualised treatment choices with a broader ecosystem of support built around how ADHD is actually experienced.”