Best practices and challenges in executing large scale pilots for eHealth deployment and managing innovation: the...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health Implementation Science
• eHealth Operations Management
• Multinational Health Technology Deployment

Background:

• Large-scale digital health solutions require robust frameworks for coordination across diverse settings and stakeholders.
• Limited actionable guidance exists for executing federated, multinational eHealth pilot projects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and refine a practice-derived management framework for large-scale, federated eHealth pilots.
• To provide consensus-validated guidance for operational governance in complex digital health deployments.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was used over four years within the GATEKEEPER project.
• Iterative focus groups, co-creation sessions, and a Delphi study involving 23 experts were conducted.
• Experts ranked 45 best practices across six operational domains for multinational pilots.

Main Results:

• A management framework was developed, integrating key performance indicators, standardized reporting tools, and a Business Intelligence dashboard.
• The framework supports real-time monitoring and decision-making throughout pilot phases.
• Usability testing, user-centered design, and active recruitment were identified as top priorities.

Conclusions:

• The framework addresses a critical gap in implementation science for coordinating distributed digital health deployments.
• Structured operational governance and shared performance monitoring are key to executing complex eHealth pilots.
• Insights can inform future large-scale initiatives for sustainable, patient-centered digital health integration.