[Digital health applications-patient-centric care with disruptive potential]

Digital applications, or "DiGA" in German, come with the promise of cost-effective interventions to improve patient care. Patient networks are frequently approached when DiGA are developed or need to be tested in a real-world setting. The network of those affected by melanoma, the "Melanoma Patient Network Europe" (MPNE), has thereby gained valuable insights into the fundamental characteristics of successful DiGA: a validated initial hypothesis, value generation through vertical integration, responsible financing models and data security.This article provides a patient advocacy perspective on the wider digital context in which DiGA exists and reflects on the disruptive potential as these applications enable patients to increasingly impose their preferences with regards to their own care.