Health technologies have the potential to enhance patient care, streamline operations, and improve overall healthcare outcomes. However, understanding the impact of these technologies is essential in order to maximise the potential benefit to healthcare providers. Evaluating this impact is a complex process at the heart of which is a need for accurate, real-world data. The starting point for all in-market assessments of health technology should be the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) specifically tailored to measure the unique aspects of an individual technology.
In this article, we will explore where to begin with KPIs as a means of evaluating the impact of health technology:
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Patient Outcomes Metrics:
- Patient Satisfaction: One of the primary goals of health technology is to enhance the patient experience. A KPI measuring patient/user satisfaction can help gauge the effectiveness of a technology by collecting feedback from patients about their interactions with the technology and the care they receive. This can be measured through surveys, feedback forms, or net promoter scores.
- Patient Journey Experience: Understanding how a user navigates their interactions with a particular technology can really help determine the benefit of a solution. If users find the technology easy to setup, and to use on a regular basis then it will have a much better chance of becoming embedded within their regular routine. High-friction technologies that are not intuitive, or require significant input, calibration, or time to update, can quickly lead to poor engagement among users.
- Patient Engagement: Technology should encourage patients to become more actively engaged in managing their health. Metrics such as the frequency of patient logins to a health portal or the use of mobile health apps can indicate how well a technology is promoting patient engagement.
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Clinical Efficiency and Workflow Metrics:
- Reduction in Administrative Tasks: A valuable KPI is the reduction in administrative tasks, such as paperwork, that healthcare professionals need to perform. A more streamlined administrative process can free up time for healthcare providers to focus on patient care.
- Time Saved: Measuring the time saved due to technology integration is crucial. This can include time saved on patient data entry, appointment scheduling, or communication with colleagues. The saved time can translate into increased patient-facing hours and improved clinical efficiency.
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Healthcare Cost Metrics:
- Cost Reduction: Many health technologies aim to reduce the overall cost of healthcare delivery. KPIs should include measurements of how a technology affects costs, including reductions in hospital readmissions, shorter hospital stays, and lower healthcare utilization rates.
- Return on Investment (ROI): ROI is a critical KPI for evaluating the financial impact of health technologies. It involves comparing the costs of implementing and maintaining the technology to the savings and revenue generated as a result. A positive ROI demonstrates the technology’s financial value.
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Interoperability Metrics:
- Data Exchange: Interoperability is essential for seamless communication between different healthcare systems and providers. KPIs should measure the ease and frequency of data exchange between various healthcare entities, such as hospitals, clinics, and laboratories.
- Reduction in Errors: The reduction in errors due to improved data exchange and interoperability is a crucial KPI. Fewer errors can lead to better patient outcomes and cost savings by avoiding costly mistakes and rework.
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Telehealth Metrics:
- Telehealth Utilisation: For telehealth technologies, the utilisation rate is a critical KPI. It measures the percentage of eligible patient visits conducted via telehealth. A higher utilisation rate indicates greater acceptance and integration of telehealth services.
- Patient Follow-up: Tracking the success of telehealth consultations through KPIs such as patient follow-up rates and post-consultation outcomes can provide insights into the effectiveness of remote healthcare delivery.
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Adoption and User Engagement Metrics:
- Technology Adoption Rate: The rate at which healthcare providers and organisations adopt the technology is an important KPI. High adoption rates indicate that the technology is meeting the needs of users.
- User Engagement: Measuring user engagement, such as the frequency of logins, feature utilisation, and user feedback, can provide insights into how well the technology is received and integrated into daily workflows.
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Long-Term Impact Metrics:
- Sustainability: Evaluating the long-term impact and sustainability of health technologies is crucial. KPIs should include measurements of whether the technology continues to provide benefits over time and adapts to evolving healthcare needs.
- Scalability: If the technology is intended to grow and expand its reach, scalability metrics are essential. These metrics assess how easily the technology can accommodate increased usage and data volume.
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Accessibility and Inclusion
- Monitoring adverse experiences relating accessibility, diversity, and inclusion will help to quickly determine if a product is meeting, or failing, the needs of a diverse user base. Having a technology that can be accessed and utilised by a cross-section of potential users is absolutely essential. Ensuring that no particular group of patients, or potential users, is excluded by the implementation of a particular technology should be a key assessment for all digital health developers.
Selecting the right KPIs is essential for accurately assessing the impact of health technologies. These KPIs should align with the specific goals and objectives of the technology implementation, whether it’s improving patient outcomes, reducing costs, enhancing clinical efficiency, or ensuring data security. By monitoring these KPIs, healthcare technology businesses can make informed decisions about the adoption, optimisation, and ongoing use of health technologies, ultimately leading to better healthcare delivery and uptake of their solutions.