Case Study: Innovation Procurement for a Patient and Caregiver Support Solution in the Home

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Digital Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• Community care organizations face challenges in procuring digital solutions for homecare.
• Supporting both caregivers and older adults with technology requires careful evaluation of vendor submissions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an innovation partnership procurement strategy for a digital health solution.
• To evaluate the process of selecting and piloting technology for homecare.

Main Methods:

• An innovation partnership procurement strategy was employed.
• A digital solution was pilot tested in a laboratory setting, followed by a planned field trial.
• Recruitment of seniors for the field trial was attempted.

Main Results:

• Vendor submissions included both existing and novel technologies, complicating evaluation.
• The pilot testing occurred in a lab setting before a planned in-home trial.
• Recruitment of seniors for the in-home trial was unsuccessful.

Conclusions:

• Early and meaningful engagement with seniors is essential for successful homecare technology implementation.
• Clearly defining partnership expectations is critical for effective procurement and adoption of digital health solutions.