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Assessing Digital Health Interventions (Group Project 1)
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:23:48
Abstract
Chronic diseases require an intervention paradigm that focuses on prevention and lifestyle change. Against this background, the question arises of how digital health interventions (DHIs) can allow medical doctors and other caregivers to scale and tailor long‐term treatments to individuals in need at sustainable costs.
Objective
At the intersection of information systems research, computer science, behavioural medicine, and health economics, this lecture has the objective to help students and upcoming healthcare executives interested in the multi‐disciplinary field of digital health to better understand the design and assessment of DHIs. The lecture is structured in two parts and follows the concept of a hybrid treatment. In the second part of this course, participants work in teams and will use their knowledge from the first part of the lecture to critically assess DHIs, identify unmet needs and propose a DHI alongside a business model. Each team will then present and discuss their findings with their fellow students who will provide peer reviews. After the course, students will be able to... 1. know design and assessment frameworks for DHIs 2. assess DHIs 3. discuss the advantages and disadvantages of DHIs 4. propose a DHI incl. business model that addresses an unmet need of existing DHIs
Content
The second module of the CAS in Digital Health gives participants an in-depth understanding of the design process for Digital Health interventions (DHIs). How can we ensure that DHIs are effective and tailored to specific needs? The module reviews DHI frameworks and looks at the distinct stages of the research-development cycle. The topics are: 1. Overview of design and assessment frameworks 2. Preparation of DHIs 3. Optimization of DHIs 4. Evaluation of DHIs The lecture is structured in two parts and follows the concept of a hybrid treatment consisting of live sessions and complementary online lessons. In the first part, participants will learn and discuss the learning topics. Complementary learning material (e.g., video and audio clips), multiple-choice questions and exercises are provided online. In the second part, participants work in teams and will use their knowledge from the first part of the lecture to critically assess DHIs, identify unmet needs and propose a DHI incl. a business model that addresses the unmet need. Each team will then present and discuss their findings with their fellow students who will provide peer reviews. Additional online coaching sessions are offered to support the teams with the preparation of their presentations.
Resources
Literature
1. Cohen AB Dorsey ER Mathews SC et al. (2020) A digital health industry cohort across the health continuum Nature Digital Medicine 3(68), 10.1038/s41746‐020‐0276‐9 2. Collins LM (2018) Optimization of Behavioral, Biobehavioral, and Biomedical Interventions: The Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) New York: Springer, 10.1007/978-3-319-72206-1 3. Coravos A. Khozin S. and K. D. Mandl (2019) Developing and Adopting Safe and Effective Digital Biomarkers to Improve Patient Outcomes Nature Digital Medicine 2 Paper 14, 10.1038/s41746‐019‐0090‐4 4. Fleisch E Franz C Herrmann A (2021) The Digital Pill: What Everyone Should Know about the Future of Our Healthcare System, Emerald Publishing: Bingley,UK, 10.1108/9781787566750 5. Katz DL Frates EP Bonnet JP Gupta SK Vartiainen E and Carmona RH (2018) Lifestyle as Medicine: The Case for a True Health Initiative American Journal of Health Promotion 32(6), 1452-1458, 10.1177/0890117117705949 6. Kvedar, JC, Fogel AL, Elenko E and Zohar D (2016) Digital medicine’s march on chronic disease Nature Biotechnology 34(3), 239-246, 10.1038/nbt.3495 7. Kowatsch T Otto L Harperink S Cotti A Schlieter H (2019) A Design and Evaluation Framework for Digital Health Interventions it ‐ Information Technology 61(5‐6), 253‐263, 10.1515/itit‐2019‐0019 8. Kowatsch T Fleisch E (2021) Digital Health Interventions, in: Gassmann O Ferrandina F (eds): Connected Business: Creating Value in the Networked Economy, Springer: Berlin, 10.1007/978-3-030-76897-3_4 9. Kowatsch T Schachner T Harperink S et al (2021) Conversational Agents as Mediating Social Actors in Chronic Disease Management Involving Health Care Professionals, Patients, and Family Members: Multisite Single-Arm Feasibility Study, Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) 23(2):e25060 10.2196/25060 10. Kowatsch T Lohse KM Erb V et al (2021) Hybrid Ubiquitous Coaching With a Novel Combination of Mobile and Holographic Conversational Agents Targeting Adherence to Home Exercises: 4 Design and Evaluation Studies, Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) 23(2):e23612, 10.2196/23612 11. Nahum‐Shani I Smith SN Spring BJ Collins LM Witkiewitz K Tewari A Murphy SA (2018) Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions (JITAIs) in Mobile Health: Key Components and Design Principles for Ongoing Health Behavior Support, Annals of Behavioral Medicine 52 (6), 446‐462, 10.1007/s12160-016-9830-8 12. Sim, I. (2019) Mobile Devices and Health, The New England Journal of Medicine, 381(10), 956‐ 968, 10.1056/NEJMra1806949
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- WBZ , NDS
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- ungraded semester performance
Registration & Places
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise |
Assessing Digital Health Interventions (Group Project 1)
1. Design and Assessment of DHIs: Friday, 17.03.2023, 13:00 – 17:00 (online via Zoom)
2. Optimization of DHIs with micro-randomized trials: Friday, 31.03.2023, 13:00 – 17:00 (online via Zoom)
3. Group Work Kick-Off: Friday, 14.04.2023, 15:00 – 17:00 (online via Zoom)
4. Coaching Sessions for Groups “on demand”: 28.4. / 12.05. / 26.05.2023, 16:00 – 17:00 (online via Zoom)
5. Group Presentations: Friday, 16.06.2023, 13:00-17:00 (online via Zoom)
|
No time listed | 17 h semesterly |