A digital health profile & maturity assessment toolkit: cocreation and testing in the Pacific Islands. (29th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liaw, Siaw-Teng; Zhou, Rui; Ansari, Sameera; Gao, Jun
• Is Part Of: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. Volume 28:Number 3(2021)
• Page Start: 494
• Page End: 503
• Publication Date: 2020-11-29
• Subjects: digital health -- informatics -- cocreation -- implementation -- evaluation -- maturity assessment; Medical informatics -- Periodicals; Information Services -- Periodicals; Medical Informatics -- Periodicals; Médecine -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Informatica; Geneeskunde; Informatique médicale; Computer network resources; Electronic journals; 610.285
• DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa255
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1067-5027

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Countries need to determine their level of digital health capability maturity to assess and mobilize their knowledge, skills, and resources to systematically develop, implement, evaluate, scale up and maintain large-scale implementations of standards-based interoperable digital health tools. Objective: Develop a Digital Health Profile and Maturity Assessment Toolkit (DHPMAT) to assist Pacific Island Countries (PICs) to harness digital tools to support national health priorities. Materials and Methods: A literature review guided the development of the conceptual framework to underpin the DHPMAT. Key informants collaborated to collect key digital health features and indicators to inform their country's digital health maturity assessment. The DHPMAT was tested with country stakeholders at a Pacific Health Information Network workshop in 2019. Results: A comprehensive list of indicators to describe country digital health profiles (DHP). A digital health maturity assessment tool that uses criteria codeveloped with country stakeholders to assess essential digital health foundations and quality improvement. DHPs created and maturity assessed and packaged into individualized DHPMATs for 13 PICs. PIC users perceived the DHPMAT as useful, especially the congruence with the 2017 WHO WPRO Regional Strategy but noted a "cognitive overload" from a plethora of complex digital health toolkits. Conclusions: The cocreation approach optimized currency, accuracy, and appropriateness of information in the DHP, understanding, and use of the DHPMAT to facilitate informed iterative discussion by PICs on their digital health maturity to harness digital tools to strengthen country health systems. The DHPMAT can rationalize the choice and use of existing tools and reduce cognitive overload.