Early assessment of innovation projects using EARTH

An increase in the use of innovative, medical technology in hospitals has taken place in both Denmark and the rest of the world. This creates a demand for an assessment of the technology early in the course to point out the technologies with potential, and also the ones without. On this basis, the hospitals are able to make decisions regarding development and implementation.

By means of a model for objective and systematic assesment, we are able to focus our ressources around the new initiatives, which actually make a difference in the daily operation.

AIM

Therefore, the aim of the project is to develop a model (EARTH: Early Realistic assessment of innovative medical Technologies in Hospitals) for an early assessment of the expected return of innovative medical technology. The model is to be used by Danish hospitals to select the technologies with the highest probability of becoming financially profitable when implemented in the daily operations.

RESULTS

The research project has studied how an early assessment of innovative technologies is carried out – primarily in the manufacturing industry. This knowledge has formed the basis for developing a model (EARTH) for early realistic assessment of innovative technologies in hospitals. Early critical assessment by means of the EARTH model ensures that the hospitals only proceeds with the development of technologies with the highest probability of achieving the expected effects.

The early assessment provides a better use of the means used for innovation for the benefit of hospital, patients and the society. The model is expected to make a positive difference in strategic development decisions in the health sector, and it may become a competitive advantage in our increasingly globalised society.

Iben Fasterholdt Kristian Kidholm

Start: August 2014
End: September 2017