Identifying Development Measurement Scales for Digital Health Technologies: A Literature and Grey Literature Review

OBJECTIVES: Defining the stages of maturity of an innovative technology is the foundation to determine which information is possible to gather at each stage. Thereafter, establishing a development plan that generates the necessary evidence is crucial for its assessment. Using the same scale to assess innovations in different sectors can be challenging and inaccurate. Health technologies follow a regulated development path that does not apply to other technologies, adding specific stages. This review is part of EDiHTA EU project and aims to identify a development scale that fits the unique characteristics of Digital Health Technologies (DHTs).

METHODS: A targeted literature search was conducted in PubMed Central and Scopus. Complementarily, snowballing of key papers and a grey literature search were conducted to identify technology development scales adopted by official institutions and leading innovative organizations.

RESULTS: 277 articles were identified through the targeted literature search and snowballing of key papers, 4 of them included, and 10 different scales were identified through the grey literature search. Of the 14 technology development scales 5 were specific to DHTs. These scales show specific features that DHTs must comply with.

CONCLUSIONS: Since the development of the first technology development scale, several adaptations have been made to fit different technologies and markets. The health sector has created more specific scales targeted to health technologies, to properly reach the market.