Assessment Criteria of Digital Health Interventions Focusing on Healthcare Providers: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective: Digital Health Interventions (DHIs) are increasingly integrated into healthcare systems and widely adopted by healthcare providers (HPs). The lack of consistent evaluation standards makes it difficult to identify high-quality DHIs. This study aims to provide an overview of the criteria used to assess DHIs focusing on HPs. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and adheres to the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane databases for English-language studies published between February 2019 and February 2024, that evaluated DHIs focusing on HPs. Results: The results revealed that there is no single consensus on how to assess DHIs, but rather multiple approaches have been proposed. From these studies, we derived a unified framework for evaluating DHIs focusing on HPs, encompassing assessment criteria grouped into ten key areas: data governance, usability, information management, health impact, patient-centered care, technical aspects, global context, functionality, sustainability, and design. Discussion: The proposed multidimensional framework offers a structured basis for consistent evaluation and informed implementation of DHIs focusing on HPs. Conclusions: The results of this scoping review lead to two main conclusions: first, there is a lack of a standardized framework for assessing DHIs; second, the development of a holistic framework is needed to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of DHIs for HPs.