D.4: Method kit for quantifying the process potential of digital health tools
Context and goals
Contact: Prof. Dr Alfred Angerer (ZHAW)
Although digital health applications promise great gains in effectiveness and efficiency for the healthcare system, measurable proof is often difficult due to a lack of data. heyPatient also faces this challenge. Its "mobile Health as a Service" app connects patients and service providers along the various treatment pathways. The digital solution serves as an exchange and structuring platform. Appointments can be coordinated and documents exchanged. So far, however, heyPatient has not been able to substantiate its promises with concrete figures and thus quantify them. This previously unresolved question in the field of digital health solutions is to be answered as part of this sub-project "Methodological toolbox for quantifying the process potential of digital health tools" using heyPatient as an example and generalised for other digital health tools.
Planned results
To this end, a standardisable, scalable set of methods for calculating benefits ("Quantificator") is being developed. The Quantificator should enable heyPatient (and other providers of digital health applications in the future) to evaluate their digital health solution and quantify the benefits for the various stakeholder groups (patients, employees, organisation, etc.). This method kit should consist of three components: a) the quick quantifier already shows in the acquisition discussions which impact area per CHF invested results from the app, b) the situation analyser evaluates the effective benefit resulting from the use of the app for the various stakeholder groups by means of pre/post measurement, c) the evaluation engine indicates how the effect of the intervention can be statistically correctly demonstrated.
Contribution to overall innovation
With the help of a scalable, customisable digital health method kit, a benefit-oriented, transparent decision-making basis is available, project decisions can be made on a more informed basis and the digital transformation in hospitals can be targeted by maximising the effectiveness of scarce resources.
Knowledge contributions from the project
What findings do we have from the literature to assess the benefits of digital health solutions?
The increasing life expectancy of the population poses numerous challenges for our healthcare system. The European Commission assumes that the…
How do Swiss hospitals rate digital health solutions?
Digital health solutions - such as the heyPatient platform - promise major gains in effectiveness and efficiency. On the one hand, these are due to…
Process-based thinking: How can process maps help?
As already explained in the introduction to knowledge article 2, digital health solutions - such as the heyPatient platform - promise major gains in…
How do I use the D.4 method kit?
The D.4 method kit supports hospitals and digital health tools providers in evaluating the benefits of digital health solutions in a practical,…
What does a patient registration cost? Process observation as a method for determining administrative process costs - A field report
How much effort is actually involved in administrative patient registration - and how does this effort change when digital solutions such as…
