The need to scale-up healthcare innovations is growing more urgent as governments, insurance companies and care organisations struggle with increased demand and rising costs. It requires an accelerated rate of progress and a recalibration of how care is organised to effectively meet the digital care needs of the client now and in the future. To achieve progress, we must agree on the key aspects of value-based digital care and align expectations on outcome measures and cost-effectiveness. As a solution, Vilans has taken the initiative to set up the Digital Care Knowledge Bank.
Many digital healthcare solutions in one place
In the Netherlands, as well as the rest of the world, everyone is engaged in innovation, research and implementation of digital healthcare, with similar solutions being tried in many places. Yet, the results of pilots and other experiments are rarely shared. If the experiences with an innovation are known, then others can benefit from it. If the design of a pilot is shared, then other healthcare providers can use the same method so that the impact is demonstrated more quickly. By joint valuation and sharing of results, similar agreements can also be made about funding.
An infrastructure for sharing knowledge
Vilans Digital Care Knowledge Bank is a central point for sharing and retrieving knowledge about digital care. It provides an infrastructure for sharing knowledge on (best) practices, experiences with pilots (lessons learned), the design of pilots, information about the valuation of research and funding opportunities.
Together with Vilans, various Dutch organisations and universities collaborate within the Knowledge Bank such as, Alzheimer’s Netherlands, care organisation ActiZ, Zorg Nederland (Dutch healthcare insurers), as well as Hogeschool Utrecht and Meiland Training & Consult. The aim is to share their experiences and achieve unity of methodology in language and research.
Henk Herman Nap, Vilans Digital Care Expert: “It is time to exceed the level of pilots, testing grounds and labs. We need to scale-up smartly so that the client can make optimal use of eHealth in the future. We need to agree on what ‘value-based eHealth’ is, agree on outcome measures and focus on cost-effectiveness so that governments and insurance companies are willing to pay and invest.”
The Digital Care Knowledge Bank uses an evaluation model for ICT innovations based on three conditional elements called, “Value-driven eHealth” modules which assess innovations based on quality, accessibility and cost. Innovations currently featured on the platform include, remote patient monitoring, the hip airbag, medicine dispenser, smart incontinence pads (Smart Inco), and lifestyle monitoring.
International platform
The goal is for the Knowledge Bank to be an international platform for sharing knowledge on value-based eHealth as well as language and outcome measures. The intention is to fill the Digital Care Knowledge Bank with at least 12 care products and services, connect to other data bases and support the routing between the knowledge bank and the Dutch Health Insurers for structural financing of value-based digital care.
- For more information on the technologies featured in Vilans Digital Care Knowledge Bank visit AgeTech Works.
