Digital Health Testbeds in Sweden: An exploratory study

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Complexity Science
• Systems Thinking

Background:

• Digital health testbeds are crucial for innovation but face complex challenges.
• Understanding their dynamics is essential for effective implementation and sustainability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Swedish digital health testbeds using complexity science principles.
• To identify factors influencing their organization, function, and adaptation.

Main Methods:

• Purposive sampling identified 38 digital health testbed organizations for interviews.
• Thematic analysis, guided by complexity theory and complex adaptive systems, was used.

Main Results:

• Five themes emerged: agents and diversity, connections and communication, adaptation and learning, perturbations, and path dependence.
• Key factors influencing testbeds include stakeholder diversity, communication, learning, external uncertainties, and historical context.
• Challenges identified include non-linear interactions and unclear definitions.

Conclusions:

• Insights gained can improve testbed design and implementation.
• Recommendations include identifying stakeholders, commissioning evaluations, developing contingency plans, securing funding, and disseminating findings.