Unique Implementation
Unique implementation will make digital health achieve better adoption, engagement, and success.
It is no secret that there has been and continues to be a rapid evolution of digital technology in healthcare. More money enters the market; however, there is not a single ‘playbook’ for how innovation should be implemented.
Recently, I have seen more and more individuals posting articles about creating this ‘playbook’ and what makes the most sense from the writer’s perspective. This is precisely what it is, their perspective. Each of us perceives innovation and how to implement it differently, which is a strength of innovation and innovation implementation.
A single ‘playbook’ will inevitably limit the growth of digital health because it is based on individual perceptions.
The reality of digital technology and its use in healthcare is that its implementation must be as individualized as the patients it serves. When we pigeonhole execution into standardization, the uniqueness of healthcare is lost.
This is not to say that an individual entity cannot create a process, but that process must be agile. The reality is the perceived needs of a coal miner in the Appalachian Mountains are vastly different than those of an engineer in Silicon Valley.
The foundation of a unique implementation is patient perception.
Developing a process for implementation is a great idea. However, that process should not be a step-by-step playbook. The process should be easily adaptable and agile.
What I think is a good starting point for creating a unique process is:
- Identification
- Qualification
- Marketing
- Recruitment
- Engagement
- Exit
What do these exactly mean? Well, that is the beauty of it; if you have a solution in behavioral health treatment, the process will mean something different than a diabetes management solution.
However, with these six high-level points, you can begin to ask yourself, what does this solution need to be successful, and how do I empower the most patients possible.
What does a solution need to be successful, and how do you empower as many patients as possible?
I may be biased, but I believe the best place to start before creating a process is to understand an innovation’s value. I suggest looking at the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to understand the value.
KPIs, when appropriately developed, make the other aspects of the process easier to identify.
Do not be afraid to take time on this part, and do not be scared of taking time to develop a unique process for each innovation. Spending the time now ultimately will lead to less wasted time in the future.
What do you think is the best way to implement digital health solutions?