Digital therapeutics — software-based medical treatments backed by clinical evidence and, in many cases, FDA authorization — represent one of the most ambitious segments of the digital health landscape. Companies in this space are developing prescription apps for insomnia (CBT-I delivery), diabetes management (behavioral coaching), substance use disorder (therapy augmentation), and ADHD (cognitive training). According to the Digital Therapeutics Alliance's 2025 Industry Snapshot, more than 180 digital therapeutics products are in active commercial deployment in the U.S., with another 340 in development.
But building a DTx product is only half the battle. Getting it prescribed, reimbursed, and used consistently by patients requires operational infrastructure that most early-stage startups don't have. Virtual assistants are filling that gap.
Patient Support: Keeping Patients Engaged in Their Treatment
Digital therapeutics only work if patients use them consistently. Whether the intervention is a cognitive behavioral therapy app for insomnia or a behavioral coaching platform for type 2 diabetes, adherence is the primary driver of clinical outcomes — and clinical outcomes are what DTx companies report to payers and prescribers to justify reimbursement.
VAs handle the patient support layer that keeps people engaged: welcoming newly enrolled patients with orientation calls or chats, answering questions about how to use the app, troubleshooting login and technical issues, sending scheduled engagement nudges to patients who have gone inactive, and collecting patient-reported outcome data at protocol-specified intervals. A 2025 study published in npj Digital Medicine found that DTx programs with dedicated patient support touchpoints achieved 58 percent higher 90-day adherence rates compared to fully self-directed programs.
"Our app is clinically excellent — but patients still need support to stick with it," said Maya Okonkwo, Head of Patient Operations at a DTx company focused on chronic lower back pain. "We use VAs for weekly check-in messages, troubleshooting calls, and outcome data collection. Our 60-day retention went from 44 percent to 71 percent after we launched structured support."
Sales Coordination: Moving Through a Complex Landscape
DTx companies sell into a uniquely complex commercial environment. Health system sales require clinical, IT, and administrative buy-in. Payer coverage deals require outcomes data packages, actuarial models, and multi-stakeholder negotiation. Employer direct sales require benefits team engagement and legal review. Each channel has its own pace and documentation requirements.
VAs manage the operational infrastructure that keeps deals moving: updating CRM records after sales meetings, formatting outcomes data decks and coverage proposals, coordinating payer submission documentation, scheduling follow-up calls with multiple stakeholders, managing conference presence and trade show logistics, and handling post-meeting follow-up sequences. They also coordinate the health system pilot program logistics that precede enterprise deals — IRB submission tracking, site coordination, and data reporting to the clinical team.
According to a 2025 Rock Health analysis of DTx commercial scaling, startups that invested in sales operational infrastructure within the first 18 months of commercial launch closed their first major health system or payer deal 7 months faster on average than companies that delayed that investment.
Administrative Operations: Running Lean Without Dropping Balls
DTx startups are typically working with limited runway and a small founding team wearing multiple hats. The administrative demands of a growing company — investor updates, board meeting preparation, HR onboarding, regulatory correspondence, compliance documentation, and vendor management — accumulate quickly and divert founder and leadership attention from clinical and commercial priorities.
VAs handle recurring administrative workflows: preparing monthly investor update materials, coordinating HR onboarding logistics for new hires, managing the document library for FDA submissions (510(k), De Novo, prescription digital therapeutic classification), tracking vendor contracts and renewal dates, and managing executive calendars. They also handle internal communication infrastructure — maintaining team wikis, coordinating all-hands logistics, and distributing weekly updates to the team.
A 2025 survey by the National Venture Capital Association found that health tech founders who delegated administrative work early in the company's lifecycle spent 19 more hours per week on product and commercial priorities compared to founders who retained administrative functions.
For DTx companies looking to scale patient programs and commercial operations without overextending the founding team, Stealth Agents provides virtual assistants experienced in digital health patient communication, SaaS sales support, and health startup administration.
Operational Leverage in a Capital-Constrained Market
In a market where fundraising timelines are extending and payer coverage remains uncertain, DTx companies need to demonstrate clinical outcomes and commercial traction simultaneously — with limited resources. Virtual assistants provide operational leverage: more capacity, faster response times, and better patient and customer experiences at a fraction of the cost of full-time hires. For startups racing to prove their model, that leverage can be the difference between extending runway and running out of it.
Sources
- Digital Therapeutics Alliance, Industry Snapshot, 2025
- npj Digital Medicine, DTx Patient Adherence Benchmark Study, 2025
- Rock Health, Digital Therapeutics Commercial Scaling Analysis, 2025
- National Venture Capital Association, Health Tech Founder Time Allocation Survey, 2025