Introduction
Health technology innovations are crucial for addressing healthcare challenges, but their development, commercialization, and implementation are often hindered by various obstacles. Successful health technology innovation requires early understanding of the problem and whether a proposed innovation is the best solution.
Key Challenges in Health Technology Innovation
- Understanding Implementation Science: Implementation involves planned activities to launch, introduce, and maintain technologies in healthcare contexts. It’s a complex process requiring multi-disciplinary stakeholders and clear governance.
- Failed Innovations: Many health technologies fail, with high failure rates reported. Critical phases in the innovation process, known as ‘valleys of death,’ occur during early stages and at the transition between commercialization and roll-out.
- Supporting Academic Research: Innovators need awareness of the end-to-end innovation process and practical guidance. Various tools have been developed to support health technology development, but their relevance and effectiveness vary.
Methodology
This review performed a non-exhaustive search for published tools supporting health technology innovation. Tools were identified from scientific literature, grey literature, and expert referrals. Fourteen tools were included and classified into readiness level tools, questionnaire/checklist tools, and guidance tools.
Key Findings
- Key Domains: The review identified five key domains crucial for health technology innovation: understanding the condition and stakeholders, developing legal and safe technologies, developing an evidence strategy, investigating economic aspects, and developing a business model.
- Innovation Phases: Five innovation phases were identified: conceptualization, concept validation, development, market access & launch, and post-market phase.
- Implementation Principles: Three implementation principles were found: multidisciplinary development teams, continuous evaluation cycles, and development intertwined with implementation.
Considerations for Tool Selection and Development
- Tools vary in purpose, target users, and underlying frameworks.
- Considerations include intended use, reliability, ease of use, and availability of peer support.
- Novel tool development should focus on creating ‘better’ tools based on identified gaps and should consider ecological validation and user consensus.
Conclusion
This review provides insights into available tools for supporting health technology innovation and implementation. It highlights key domains, innovation phases, and implementation principles. Future studies should focus on the validation and effectiveness of support tools.
