Selecting digital health technologies for validation and piloting by healthcare providers: a decision-making perspective from ontario

Abstract

Digital health technologies (DHTs) such as health apps are rapidly emerging as a major disruptor of health care. Yet there is no well-established process of decision making for selecting DHTs that are worthy of investing resources in their validation to determine whether they are ready (safe, effective, and not too costly) for health related use. We report here on an Ontario-based initiative to support such decision making. Specifically, we developed a decision-making algorithm that uses approved criteria including the strategic direction of the health research institute and the hospital, and availability of resources. The Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario has adapted our approach for other hospitals. We hope that other healthcare organizations, in and beyond Ontario, will consider this and alternative approaches, and that research will be conducted to evaluate such approaches.

Ontario's Digital Health Vision in the post-COVID-19 Pandemic Era: A Canadian Perspective

“…Currently, virtual care is driven by the needs of individual organizations, and the patient experience is seldom considered, leading to virtual care initiatives that are characterized by a top-down approach instead of a frontline approach (Desveaux et al, 2019). The Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario (CAHO), one of Ontario's Ministry of Health's selected innovation brokers, represents Ontario's 23 research hospitals and acts as an entryway for innovations into Ontario's healthcare system (Chahal & Rudnick, 2019). CAHO published a list of critical problems that required intervention from digital health innovators, resulting in innovators responding to the specific needs of the CAHO member hospitals (Chahal & Rudnick, 2019).…”

“…The Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario (CAHO), one of Ontario's Ministry of Health's selected innovation brokers, represents Ontario's 23 research hospitals and acts as an entryway for innovations into Ontario's healthcare system (Chahal & Rudnick, 2019). CAHO published a list of critical problems that required intervention from digital health innovators, resulting in innovators responding to the specific needs of the CAHO member hospitals (Chahal & Rudnick, 2019). With each member hospital having an independent decision-making process for the proposed digital health projects, a series of challenges arise, namely hospitals struggling to process the numerous digital health projects and having an acceptance criterion that rejects/defers 90% of the proposals (Chahal & Rudnick, 2019).…”

“…CAHO published a list of critical problems that required intervention from digital health innovators, resulting in innovators responding to the specific needs of the CAHO member hospitals (Chahal & Rudnick, 2019). With each member hospital having an independent decision-making process for the proposed digital health projects, a series of challenges arise, namely hospitals struggling to process the numerous digital health projects and having an acceptance criterion that rejects/defers 90% of the proposals (Chahal & Rudnick, 2019). Digital health innovators responding to the critical issues published by CAHO is an example of virtual care initiatives that cater to the needs of individual organizations.…”