Assessment Framework

PHTI evaluates digital health solutions to accelerate the adoption of technologies that improve health and lower costs.

The ICER-PHTI Assessment Framework for Digital Health Technologies was developed in partnership with the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), a leader in health technology assessment.

By helping purchasers identify bright spots in digital health innovation, PHTI aims to raise the bar for technology-driven advances in healthcare delivery, including superior outcomes, convenience, access, and affordability.

The assessment framework can also guide technology developers and investors about performance standards and evidence needs required to demonstrate stated clinical and economic benefits. Learn more about the assessment framework.

The Assessment Process

We will evaluate the evidence about the performance of groups of health technologies designed to replace or augment traditional care delivery.

Categories of technologies can include digital therapeutics, chronic care management apps, remote patient monitoring, and administrative technologies, many of which use artificial intelligence (AI).

The assessment framework prioritizes products’ clinical benefits and economic impact, while also considering effects on health equity, data privacy and security.

The selection process for which technologies are evaluated will be based on several factors, including market relevance, disease burden, level of spend and claimed savings, and evidence quality and availability.

PHTI will conduct a comprehensive review of public and private data and evidence regarding the clinical performance of health technologies.

What is the digital health technology?

Identify a digital health product’s purpose and structure, competitive landscape, track record and funding, privacy and security.

Does it work? For whom?

CLINICAL SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS

Is it clinically effective?
What are the risks?

USER
EXPERIENCE

Is it easy to use in diverse settings, and by all users?

HEALTH
EQUITY

How is it distributed and made available?
Is it accessible?

Is it worth it?

ECONOMIC
IMPACT

What is the budget impact compared to standard care?

What recommendation does the evidence support?

ADOPT

DO NOT ADOPT

FURTHER TESTING

Download as Image

Initial Assessment Areas

These briefs provide an overview of forthcoming PHTI assessments, including burden of disease, level of investment and innovation, background on the existing body of evidence and stakeholder interest. Reports to be published Q1 2024.

Diabetes Remote Patient Monitoring

Download the assessment area brief

Virtually-enabled Musculoskeletal (MSK) Care

Download the assessment area brief

Future plans and developments

PHTI plans to evolve its assessment framework to ensure evaluations are rigorous, actionable and incorporate a wide range of feedback.

Artificial intelligence: As more technologies rely on artificial intelligence (AI), PHTI will engage AI/ML experts to ensure that AI tools use robust and representative training data and that algorithms are validated and free of bias.
Privacy and security: PHTI will deepen engagement with experts in consumer protection and cybersecurity to identify data privacy and IT security exposures created by the technology.
Health equity: PHTI will work with experts to refine and advance existing health equity frameworks to broaden the understanding of how digital technology impacts equity and access considerations.