scholarly journals Identifying Essential Components of a Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem for the Namibian Context: Findings from a Delphi Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria Ejehiohen Iyawa ◽  
Marlien Herselman ◽  
Adele Botha
Keyword(s):  
Delphi Study ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Health Innovation ◽  
Essential Components

Digital Health Innovation Ecosystems

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria Ejehiohen Iyawa ◽  
Marlien Herselman ◽  
Adele Botha
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Health Innovation ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Key Participants

The purpose of this paper was to identify key participants, benefits, and challenges of a digital health innovation ecosystem in Namibia. The paper also aimed to identify strategies for implementing digital health innovation ecosystems in Namibia. This is a qualitative study that adopted semi-structured interviews in meeting the objectives of the study. The findings suggest that implementing digital health innovation ecosystems within the Namibian context will result in better processes of delivering healthcare services to patients. However, implementing such an ecosystem would require resources from both academic and governmental organizations. The need for skilled experts for managing the ecosystem would also be required. Hence, adopting the guidelines for implementing a digital health innovation ecosystem in developing countries, the study proposed guidelines which would make a digital health innovation ecosystem work for the Namibian context. The findings of this study can be used by healthcare managers within the Namibian context.

A Mobile Health Re-engineering Strategy within the Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem in South Africa: MomConnect as a Demonstration Case (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Idon-Nkhenso Sibuyi ◽  
Retha de la Harpe ◽  
Peter Nyasulu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Stakeholder Collaboration ◽  
Health Innovation ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Task Team

BACKGROUND The Internet is a useful interactive and multimedia platform for disseminating and accessing information unconstrained by time, distance and place. To the health care sector’s benefit, the advent and proliferation of mobile devices has provided an opportunity for interventions that combine asynchronous technology-aided health services to improve the lives of the less privileged and marginalised people and their communities, particularly in developing societies. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to review an existing government mHealth programme and design a re-engineered strategy based on best demonstrated practices (considerations and methods) and learnt experiences from the perspectives of multi-stakeholders within the Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem stakeholders in South Africa. METHODS The study employed an ethnographic approach involving document review, stakeholder mapping, semi-structured individual interviews, focus group discussions and participant observations to explore, describe and analyse the perspectives of its heterogenous participant categories representing a purposively sampled, but different constituencies. RESULTS A total of 80 participants were involved in the study, in addition to the 6 (six) meetings the researcher attended with members of a government appointed task team. Additionally, 46 archived records and reports were consulted and reviewed as part of gathering data relating to government’s MomConnect project. Among the consulted stakeholders, there was general consensus that the existing government-sponsored MomConnect programme should be implemented beyond mere piloting, to ‘as best as possible’ capacity within the available resources and time. It was further intimated that the scalability and sustainability of mHealth services as part of an innovative digital health ecosystem was hamstrung by factors such as: stakeholder mismanagement; impact assessment; management of data; lack of effective leadership and political support; appropriate choice of technology; funding for eHealth and mHealth; integration of mHealth to existing health programmes in tandem with Goal 3 of the Millennium Development Goals; integrating lessons learnt from other mHealth initiatives to avoid resource wastage and duplication of efforts; proactive evaluation of both mHealth and eHealth strategies; change management and developing human resources for eHealth. CONCLUSIONS Based on its findings, the study has only laid a foundation for the re-engineering of mHealth services within the Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem. The study articulated the need for stakeholder collaboration, such as continuous engagement between academics, technologists and mHealth fieldwork professional. Such compelling collaboration is accentuated more by the South African realities of the best practices in the fieldwork, which may not necessarily be documented in peer reviewed or systematic research documents from which South African professionals, research experts and practitioners could learn. Further research is needed for retrospective analysis of mHealth initiatives and forecasting of the sustainability of current and future mHealth initiatives in South Africa.

A Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem for South Africa

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlien Herselman ◽  
Adele Botha ◽  
Hannes Toivanen ◽  
Jouko Myllyoja ◽  
Thomas Fogwill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Health Innovation

Developing a sustainable Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem in a rural and resource-poor region: A monitored networking approach (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arunangsu Chatterjee ◽  
Sebastian Stevens ◽  
Sheena Asthana ◽  
Ray B Jones
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Resource Poor Setting ◽  
Quadruple Helix ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Resource Poor ◽  
Quadruple Helix Model ◽  
Over Time

BACKGROUND Digital health (DH) innovation ecosystems (IE) are key to the development of new e-health products and services. Within an IE, third parties can help promote innovation by acting as knowledge brokers and the conduits for developing inter-organisational and interpersonal relations, particularly for smaller organisations. Kolehmainen’s quadruple helix model suggests who the critical IE actors are, and their roles. Within an affluent and largely urban setting, such ecosystems evolve and thrive organically with minimal intervention due to favourable economic and geographical conditions. Facilitating and sustaining a thriving DH IE within a resource-poor setting can be far more challenging even though far more important for such peripheral economics and the health and well-being of those communities. OBJECTIVE Taking a rural and remote region in the UK, as an instance of an IE in a peripheral economy, we adapt the quadruple helix model of innovation, apply a monitored social networking approach using McKinsey’s Three Horizons of growth to explore: • What patterns of connectivity between stakeholders develop within an emerging digital health IE? • How do networks develop over time in the DH IE? • In what ways could such networks be nurtured in order to build the capacity, capability and sustainability of the DH IE? METHODS Using an exploratory single case study design for a developing digital health IE, this study adopts a longitudinal social network analysis approach, enabling the authors to observe the development of the innovation ecosystem over time and evaluate the impact of targeted networking interventions on connectivity between stakeholders. Data collection was by an online survey and by a novel method, connection cards. RESULTS Self-reported connections between IE organisations increased between the two waves of data collection, with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and academic institutions the most connected stakeholder groups. Patients involvement improved over time but still remains rather peripheral to the DH IE network. Connection cards as a monitoring tool worked really well during large events but required significant administrative overheads. Monitored networking information categorised using McKinsey’s Three Horizons proved to be an effective way to organise networking interventions ensuring sustained engagement. CONCLUSIONS The study reinforces the difficulty of developing and sustaining a DH IE in a resource-poor setting. It demonstrates the effective monitored networking approach supported by Social Network Analysis allows to map the networks and provide valuable information to plan future networking interventions (e.g. involving patients or service users). McKinsey’s Three Horizons of growth-based categorisation of the networking assets help ensure continued engagement in the DH IE contributing towards its long-term sustainability. Collecting ongoing data using survey or connection card method will become more labour intensive and ubiquitous ethically driven data collection methods can be used in future to make the process more agile and responsive.

scholarly journals Characteristics and Classification of Technology Sector Companies in Digital Health for Diabetes

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4839
Author(s):  
Satoru Kikuchi ◽  
Kota Kadama ◽  
Shintaro Sengoku
Keyword(s):  
Customer Value ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Smart Devices ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Alliance Networks ◽  
Technology Sector ◽  
Ibm Watson ◽  
Start Ups

In recent years, technological progress in smart devices and artificial intelligence has also led to advancements in digital health. Digital health tools are especially prevalent in diabetes treatment and improving lifestyle. In digital health’s innovation ecosystem, new alliance networks are formed not only by medical device companies and pharmaceutical companies but also by information and communications technology (ICT) companies and start-ups. Therefore, while focusing on digital health for diabetes, this study explored the characteristics of companies with high network centralities. Our analysis of the changes in degree, betweenness, and eigenvector centralities of the sample companies from 2011 to 2020 found drastic changes in the company rankings of those with high network centrality during this period. Accordingly, the following eight companies were identified and investigated as the top-ranking technology sector companies: IBM Watson Health, Glooko, DarioHealth, Welldoc, OneDrop, Fitbit, Voluntis, and Noom. Lastly, we characterized these cases into three business models: (i) intermediary model, (ii) substitute model, and (iii) direct-to-consumer model, and we analyzed their customer value.

scholarly journals A Digital Health Innovation to Prevent Relapse and Support Recovery in Youth Receiving Specialized Services for First-Episode Psychosis: Protocol for a Pilot Pre-Post, Mixed Methods Study of Horyzons-Canada (Phase 2) (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalini Lal ◽  
John F Gleeson ◽  
Simon D'Alfonso ◽  
Geraldine Etienne ◽  
Ridha Joober ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
First Episode Psychosis ◽  
Funding Agency ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Health Innovation ◽  
Potential Efficacy ◽  
Episode Psychosis ◽  
Support Recovery

BACKGROUND Psychotic disorders are among the most disabling of all mental disorders. The first-episode psychosis (FEP) often occurs during adolescence or young adulthood. Young people experiencing FEP often face multiple barriers in accessing a comprehensive range of psychosocial services, which have predominantly been delivered in person. New models of service delivery that are accessible, sustainable, and engaging are needed to support recovery in youth diagnosed with FEP. OBJECTIVE In this paper, we describe a protocol to implement and evaluate the acceptability, safety, and potential efficacy of an online psychosocial therapeutic intervention designed to sustain recovery and prevent relapses in young adults diagnosed with FEP. This intervention was originally developed and tested in Australia and has been adapted for implementation and evaluation in Canada and is called Horyzons-Canada (HoryzonsCa). METHODS This cohort study is implemented in a single-center and applies a pre-post mixed methods (qualitative-quantitative convergent) design. The study involves recruiting 20 participants from a specialized early intervention program for psychosis located in Montreal, Canada and providing them with access to the HoryzonsCa intervention for 8 weeks. Data collection includes interview-based psychometric measures, self-reports, focus groups, and interviews. RESULTS This study received funding from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (United States), the Quebec Health Research Funding Agency (Canada), and the Canada Research Chairs Program. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Board of the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal on April 11, 2018 (#IUSMD 17-54). Data were collected from August 16, 2018, to April 29, 2019, and a final sample of 20 individuals participated in the baseline and follow-up interviews, among which 9 participated in the focus groups. Data analysis and reporting are in process. The results of the study will be submitted for publication in 2021. CONCLUSIONS This study will provide preliminary evidence on the acceptability, safety, and potential efficacy of using a digital health innovation adapted for the Canadian context to deliver specialized mental health services to youth diagnosed with FEP. CLINICALTRIAL ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN43182105; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN43182105 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR1-10.2196/28141

scholarly journals Accelerating Innovation in Health Care: Insights From a Qualitative Inquiry Into United Kingdom and United States Innovation Centers

10.2196/19644 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. e19644
Author(s):  
Kathrin Cresswell ◽  
Robin Williams ◽  
Narath Carlile ◽  
Aziz Sheikh
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Care ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Health System ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Center Staff ◽  
Innovation Activities

Background Digital health innovations are being prioritized on international policy agendas in the hope that they will help to address the existing health system challenges. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the setup, design, facilities, and strategic priorities of leading United Kingdom and United States health care innovation centers to identify transferable lessons for accelerating their creation and maximizing their impact. Methods We conducted qualitative case studies consisting of semistructured, audio-recorded interviews with decision makers and center staff in 6 innovation centers. We also conducted nonparticipant observations of meetings and center tours, where we took field notes. Qualitative data were analyzed initially within and then across cases facilitated by QSR International’s NVivo software. Results The centers had different institutional arrangements, including university-associated institutes or innovation laboratories, business accelerators or incubators, and academic health science partnership models. We conducted interviews with 34 individuals, 1 group interview with 3 participants, and observations of 4 meetings. Although the centers differed significantly in relation to their mission, structure, and governance, we observed key common characteristics. These included high-level leadership support and incentives to engage in innovation activities, a clear mission to address identified gaps within their respective organizational and health system settings, physical spaces that facilitated networking through open-door policies, flat managerial structures characterized by new organizational roles for which boundary spanning was key, and a wider innovation ecosystem that was strategically and proactively engaged with the center facilitating external partnerships. Conclusions Although innovation in health care settings is unpredictable, we offer insights that may help those establishing innovation centers. The key in this respect is the ability to support different kinds of innovations at different stages through adequate support structures, including the development of new career pathways.

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