A New eHealth Investment Appraisal Framework for Africa: Validation

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Health Economics
• Digital Health

Background:

• eHealth investment decisions are complex, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
• Lack of economic data and expertise hinders sound appraisal of eHealth options.
• A novel eHealth Investment Appraisal Framework (eHIAF) for Africa was developed to address these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the newly developed eHealth Investment Appraisal Framework (eHIAF) for Africa.
• To determine if the framework is fit for purpose in its intended context.
• To refine the framework based on expert feedback.

Main Methods:

• Desktop validation using an online survey of purposively selected eHealth experts.
• Assessment of the framework's development process, structure, content, completeness, and utility.
• Reflective and iterative analysis of expert opinions to identify recommendations.

Main Results:

• Eleven eHealth experts with relevant experience participated in the validation.
• The majority of experts agreed with the framework's development approach and output.
• Experts suggested minor refinements, after which the eHIAF for Africa was considered 'fit for purpose'.

Conclusions:

• The eHealth Investment Appraisal Framework for Africa is suitable for policymakers in resource-constrained environments.
• The framework can aid in selecting optimal eHealth investments.
• Further testing in African countries is recommended, with potential for broader applicability.