Assessing the Quality and Impact of eHealth Tools: Systematic Literature Review and Narrative Synthesis

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Digital Health
• Healthcare Technology Assessment

Background:

• Rapid advancements in technology enable widespread development and adoption of eHealth tools.
• eHealth tools are increasingly vital for healthcare quality, yet selecting appropriate tools presents significant challenges.
• The proliferation of eHealth solutions necessitates robust methods for quality and impact evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review literature on assessing eHealth tool quality and impact.
• To identify and categorize assessment criteria through a sociotechnical lens (technical, social, organizational).
• To understand diverse approaches to evaluating eHealth tools.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest) for studies published between January 2012 and January 2022.
• 40 studies were included following PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines, with data analyzed using thematic analysis and narrative synthesis.
• A sociotechnical framework was applied to classify assessment criteria.

Main Results:

• 36 unique assessment criteria were identified and grouped into 13 clusters.
• Criteria were categorized into technical (5 clusters), social (4 clusters), and organizational (4 clusters) domains.
• Technical criteria included aspects like functionality and design; social criteria covered human centricity and outcomes; organizational criteria focused on sustainability and healthcare context.

Conclusions:

• No single, uniform framework exists for assessing eHealth tool quality and impact.
• A comprehensive approach balancing technical, social, and organizational criteria is crucial.
• Alignment with user adoption factors is essential for ensuring long-term uptake and adherence of eHealth tools.