Introduction

Digital health technologies (DHTs) present significant improvements in patient care delivery. They offer innovative solutions that make it possible to customize healthcare, increase the efficiency of healthcare workers and significantly improve patient monitoring (WHO, 2021). VitalThings is a provider of digital healthcare technologies. They developed Somnofy, a non-intrusive device that tracks respiratory rate and sleep patterns and provides accurate results by utilizing microwave doppler radar sensors in combination with artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine learning (ML) producing highly accurate results (VitalThings, 2024).

The role of stakeholders in digital health implementation

During the implementation of Somnofy, several stakeholders were considered such as technology developers, healthcare leaders, healthcare workers and patients. Early identification and engagement of stakeholders is key to successful DHT implementation (Barello et al., 2012).

Technology providers are fundamental in the development of technologies used in digital health. Their involvement in all the stages of development is key to successful DHT implementation. By applying a usercentered approach, they can build trust among end users leading to development of solutions that align with user needs (Iakovleva, 2021). VitalThings were able to develop and refine Somnofy through continuous engagement and integrating user feedback from the healthcare workers.

Healthcare leaders’ roles are to ensure that the adoption of technology is in alignment with the goals set by the organization through planning, budget allocation, staff assignment etc. The key to overcoming bureaucratic challenges and complex organizational structures for effective adoption is effective leadership (Kujala et al., 2019). Depending on the organizational structure, some leaders were able to make swift decisions on the adoption of Somnofy, while others had to work through the complex structures of the organization to enable implementation.

Healthcare workers including nurses and doctors actively enable adoption by accepting and integrating new technology in their daily routines. Lu et al. (2020) emphasized that actively involving healthcare workers in the implementation processes contributes to successful adoption. Training and support are a crucial part of this process. The healthcare workers continuously gave feedback and suggestions for change. They started implementing a nightly report generated by Somnofy into their discussions with patients and during the visits with the doctors.

Patient engagement is also important for stakeholders in the implementation process. Their acceptance of the technology is crucial to successful adoption. Barello et al. (2012) highlighted the need for patient engagement and its importance in high quality health systems. Despite some fears and privacy concerns, most patients responded positively after they were taught what Somnofy does. This led to empowerment and an increase in interest about their own sleep patterns.

Research design

This study selected a qualitative research design conducting semistructured interviews with the various stakeholder groups. This method was employed to understand stakeholder opinions and their experiences due to its ability to explore complex concepts (Creswell & Poth, 2018).

Results

Several challenges and benefits were experienced during the implementation of Somnofy.

Challenges included technical issues like unreliable Wi-Fi connectivity that challenged transmission of real-time data, organizational barriers such as bureaucratic processes and limited resources that led to slower adoption in some cases, and user acceptance leading to hesitance by some healthcare workers that were afraid of added workload or lack of technological experience. There were privacy concerns from some patients.

Benefits such as improved sleep and enhanced patient care, reduced stress, and increased efficiency among the healthcare workers were a result of successful implementation. The ability of Somnofy to provide real-time data transmission, enabled prioritization of tasks by the healthcare workers, reduced numbers of physical room visits, and improved early detection of changing patient health leading to early intervention.

Conclusion

As seen in the implementation of Somnofy, stakeholder engagement can have significant impact on DHT adoption. Technical and organizational challenges can be overcome by collectively developing strategic solutions to achieve common benefits. To successfully implement DHTs, key stakeholders must be identified and involved early. Continuous communication between the stakeholders, customized training and adequate education of the users are critical. The findings of the research emphasize the importance of a user-centered approach to achieve sustainability and successful adoption of DHTs.

This article is based on Evans Munoru’s Master Thesis “STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT IN THE IM-PLEMENTATION OF DIGITAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES A case study of Somnofy” https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024111328067

Writers:

Evans Munoru, student in Master’s Degree Programme in Digital Health, Savonia University of Applied Sciences

Liisa Klemola, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Unit of Continuous Learning, Master School, Kuopio

Bryn Lane, Part-time Lecturer, MBA, CFA, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Unit of Continuous Learning, Master School, Kuopio

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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