Digital health solutions offer significant potential to enhance the productivity and efficiency of healthcare. This project aims to explore their value, focusing on stroke care as a exemplar of a complex health challenge impacting patients, healthcare systems, and society. Stroke care encompasses primary prevention, acute hospital treatment, and long-term community care, providing numerous opportunities for digital health interventions.
Through a scoping review, we will examine the “value proposition” of digital health in stroke care, analysing terminology, available solutions, and their systematic evaluations. A mapping exercise will catalogue existing and prospective digital health applications in stroke care, with a focus on those showing significant potential impact. For these promising solutions, we will develop detailed programme theories to understand contextual factors influencing their effectiveness.
Using principles of agent-based modelling, we will construct a value assessment framework to analyse the safety, effects, costs, and potential savings from digital health solutions. Comparative analyses will assess changes in outcomes such as technology compliance, safety, treatment pathways, health states, complications, and costs, considering variations in e.g. user health and IT literacy.
The modelling framework will extend to national implications of widespread digital health adoption, evaluating effects on population health, budget, and distributional equity. Findings will be disseminated through stakeholder forums, healthcare conferences, and publications, facilitating discussions among hospital management, healthcare providers, stroke care professionals, and patients.
This comprehensive approach aims to provide insights into the value of digital health solutions in stroke care, informing strategic decisions and promoting effective, cost-effective and equitable healthcare delivery.