Evaluation of a digital platform that engages stakeholders in the co-creation of healthcare innovations: A mixed-methods study

Abstract

Introduction Engaging public and patients in the decision-making processes is on the agenda of many healthcare systems towards sustainable healthcare delivery. While many engagement initiatives are performed face-to-face, an increasing number is conducted online. An example of the latter is the Dutch digital platform Gezonde Mening that engages patients, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders in the co-creation of healthcare innovations. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement performed on Gezonde Mening by focusing on the process of planning, execution and transition of engagement activities. Methods A mixed-methods study was performed by conducting eight semi-structured interviews with developers and funders of Gezonde Mening and an assessment of the psychometric properties of two questionnaires administrated via Gezonde Mening to seek stakeholders’ inputs. While the interviews were analysed deductively and inductively, data from the assessment of psychometric properties were analysed in a descriptive quantitative manner. Data were interpreted through triangulation. Results Assessment of the planning of stakeholder engagement identified needs for having more stakeholders on the platform to enable subgroup analysis and robust insights. Moreover, questionnaires administered by Gezonde Mening showed low validity and reliability. Assessment of the execution of stakeholder engagement indicated that stakeholders are sufficiently informed about engagement. Assessment of the transition of engagement activities showed needs to provide direct results to stakeholders and allow their evaluation of the platform. Conclusion Gezonde Mening digital platform facilitates communication between innovators and stakeholders during engagement activities. However, the study identified room for improvement regarding the planning and transition activities.

Mapping the role of patient and public involvement during the different stages of healthcare innovation: A scoping review

“…The studies detailing process and service innovation-focused predominantly on quality improvement. Of the seven studies on technological and clinical innovations, two looked at digital health, 19,20 one at clinical platforms 21 and one at patient-recorded outcomes. 22…”

Care coordination is necessary but insufficient to fix the health care of these patients

“…6 By evaluating the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement on a digital platform in the Netherlands, Toninic et al show how such a platform for the co-creation of health care innovations can be further improved to support potentially high-impact care innovations from an early phase. 7 Finally, an example of taking a broader lens when looking at the coordination of services is offered by Towe et al 8 In evaluating pre-data integration for health information technologies to share patient and housing data for improving the treatment of patients with HIV in the United States of America, they identified several essential activities that require consideration, including the identification of partners, data integration model, and functionality selection. Being aware of these factors may help to navigate the barriers when exchanging data.…”