How do you measure the success of new healthcare technology?

1 Define your goals and indicators

Before you can measure the success of new healthcare technology, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Depending on the type and purpose of the technology, your goals and indicators may vary, but they should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, if you are introducing a new telehealth platform, your goals may include increasing access to care, reducing no-shows, improving patient satisfaction, and saving travel costs. Your indicators may include the number and percentage of telehealth visits, the attendance rate, the patient feedback scores, and the travel expenses saved.

2 Collect data and feedback

Once you have your goals and indicators, you need to collect data and feedback to track and evaluate them. Data can come from various sources, such as electronic health records, administrative systems, surveys, interviews, focus groups, observation, or testing. Feedback can come from different stakeholders, such as patients, providers, staff, managers, or partners. The data and feedback you collect should be reliable, valid, relevant, and timely. You should also consider the ethical and legal implications of collecting and storing data and feedback, such as obtaining consent, protecting privacy, and complying with regulations.

3 Analyze data and feedback

After you have collected data and feedback, you need to analyze them to draw insights and conclusions. Data analysis can involve various methods and tools, such as descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, regression analysis, cost-benefit analysis, or return on investment analysis. Feedback analysis can involve qualitative methods, such as thematic analysis, content analysis, or discourse analysis. The analysis should be objective, rigorous, and transparent. You should also compare your results with your baseline or benchmark data, as well as with other similar or relevant studies or cases.

4 Communicate and report results

The final step of measuring the success of new healthcare technology is to communicate and report your results to the relevant audiences and stakeholders. Communication and reporting can take various forms and formats, such as dashboards, charts, graphs, tables, reports, presentations, or publications. The communication and reporting should be clear, concise, accurate, and engaging. You should also highlight the main findings, implications, and recommendations of your evaluation, as well as the limitations and challenges. You should also solicit feedback and suggestions for improvement or further action.

5 Learn and improve

Measuring the success of new healthcare technology is not a one-time event, but a continuous process of learning and improvement. You should use the results of your evaluation to inform your decisions and actions regarding the technology, such as scaling up, modifying, or discontinuing it. You should also monitor and update your goals and indicators, as well as your data and feedback collection and analysis methods, as the technology evolves or the context changes. You should also share your lessons learned and best practices with other healthcare organizations or practitioners who may benefit from your experience and knowledge.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?