Scale-IT-up 2023 Abstracts

Area 1 - Scale-IT-up
Full Papers Short Papers

Area 1 - Scale-IT-up

Full Papers
Paper Nr: 1
Title:

User-Perception of a Webcam-Based Intervention System for Healthy Habits at Computer Workstations
Authors:

Angelina C. Schmidt, Dimitri Kraft, Fabienne Lambusch and Michael Fellmann
Abstract: Fueled by the ongoing digitalization, the amount of computer-based work is on the rise. Employees increasingly spend large parts of their day in front of computer workstations. While this type of work means less physical effort, it can nevertheless cause a range of health problems such as eye strain, back pain, wrist pain, and muscle fatigue and, in the long run, can lead to serious problems. Although some monitoring systems for health-related parameters have been developed so far, few of them provide interventions during work. Also, empirical insights on how users actually perceive such systems are still missing. Hence in our work, we report on first results regarding the user perception of such systems based on CareCam, a webcam-based system for health-promoting interventions. Based on user feedback from real-world usage of the system for one week, we derive insights for the further development of such systems.
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Paper Nr: 2
Title:

Investigating the Fidelity of Digital Peer Support: A Preliminary Approach using Natural Language Processing to Scale High-Fidelity Digital Peer Support
Authors:

Arya Kadakia, Sarah M. Preum, Andrew R. Bohm and Karen L. Fortuna
Abstract: Adults with serious mental illnesses are disproportionately affected by chronic health conditions that are linked to inadequately managed medical and psychiatric illnesses and are associated with poor lifestyle behaviors. Emerging intervention models emphasize the value of peer specialists (certified individuals who offer emotional, social, and practical assistance to those with similar lived experiences) in promoting better illness management and meaningful community rehabilitation. Over the last few years, there has been an increasing uptake in the use of digital services and online platforms for the dissemination of various peer services. However, current literature cannot scale current service delivery approaches through audio recording of all interactions to monitor and ensure fidelity at scale. This research aims to understand the individual components of digital peer support to develop a corpus and use natural language processing to classify high-fidelity evidence-based techniques used by peer support specialists in novel datasets. The research hypothesizes that a binary classifier can be developed with an accuracy of 70% through the analysis of digital peer support data.
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Nr: 5
Title:

How to Lower Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health with Digital Therapeutics? Healthification: A Short Animation
Authors:

Tobias Kowatsch
Abstract: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including common mental disorders, impose enormous health burdens on individuals and lead to substantial economic challenges (Jacobson et al., 2022; Kowatsch & Fleisch, 2021). Known risk factors relate primarily to a lifestyle characterized by tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, or an unbalanced diet. This lifestyle can lead to obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Unfortunately, individuals with lower socioeconomic status (SES) are substantially more affected by NCDs (Mackenbach et al., 2008; Wang & Geng, 2019). These individuals are also underrepresented in clinical and non-clinical trials (Davis et al., 2019; Ford et al., 2008). As a result, health interventions are potentially only effective for individuals with higher SES and do not address those most in need. Therefore, it is essential to understand how to reach and engage individuals with lower SES. To this end, we propose to “hijack” the comfort zones of vulnerable individuals (e.g., television shows and social media) and frame digital therapeutics so that they are primarily scalable (e.g., by using everyday technology, such as smartphones), unobtrusive (e.g., by using digital biomarkers), relatable (e.g., with conversational agents and family members as intervention components), and enjoyable (e.g., by gamified approaches), with health effects being the side effects. A short animation has been produced for the scientific community to promote this perspective and to rethink digital therapeutics aiming to lower socioeconomic inequalities in health (Anonymous 2022).
Short Papers
Paper Nr: 3
Title:

Designing a Digital Personal Coach to Promote a Healthy Diet and Physical Activity Among Patients After Cardiothoracic Surgery
Authors:

Ana Martins, Isabel Nunes, Luís V. Lapão and Ana Londral
Abstract: This position paper describes the design of a text-message intervention that uses behavior change theory to help design the intervention to improve patients’ diet and physical activity. The text-message intervention aims to guide patients to improve their self-efficacy in managing their disease to reduce complications and hospital readmissions and improve health-related outcomes, well-being, and quality of life. Design Science Research methodology is used to support problem definition, design, development, and evaluation of a sustainable, useful, and valuable artifact.
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Paper Nr: 4
Title:

Top-Funded Digital Health Companies Offering Services for Type-1 Diabetes Patients: Business Models and Scalability Considerations
Authors:

Marc-Robin Gruener, Jessica R. Helbling, Hyungmin Koh, Victoire Stalder and Tobias Kowatsch
Abstract: This paper aims to assess how the top-funded digital health companies in T1DM can create value for customers and which implications this has in terms of scalability. Med tech companies, academia, and policymakers should be able to make better strategic decisions based on the findings provided. Companies were identified using a leading venture capital database, PitchBook. Our analysis revealed that 50% of the thirty top-funded companies pursue a Layer Player strategy to generate value for T1DM patients. We recommend that companies in T1DM focus more on automated services such as conversational agents to improve scalability. In terms of scalability, many companies have room for improvement by increasingly relying on automated services, among other things.
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Paper Nr: 6
Title:

Scalable Business Models in Digital Healthy Longevity: Lessons from Top-Funded Digital Health Companies in 2022
Authors:

Wasu Mekniran and Tobias Kowatsch
Abstract: Digital health companies can address significant healthcare challenges and mitigate the demographic impact on the health system. Healthcare value delivery becomes increasingly complex based on multiple health problems, different treatment methods and payment schemes, various care methods, and payment schemes; therefore, scaling up a healthcare solution is not trivial, especially for new companies. To explore the business models of the top-funded digital health companies and analyze the respective scalable element of their value creation and delivery processes, this study systematically used venture databases and a business model framework to describe top-funded companies. Then, we performed literature and desk research to specify which business model elements helped them scale up. As a result, we identified ten top-funded companies in the field; our main findings suggest that these companies scaled up by developing a platform for a wide range of users, in contrast to specific demography and disease. We recommend that new digital companies in healthy longevity prioritize employers in customer acquisition and align incentives between patients and payers with the help of digital health data to improve transparency on return on investment.
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Paper Nr: 7
Title:

Digital Therapeutics for Healthy Longevity: A Roadmap
Authors:

Tim Leistner and Tobias Kowatsch
Abstract: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including common mental disorders, not only impose an enormous health burden on individuals but also lead to substantial economic burdens for healthcare systems. Especially individuals with lower socioeconomic status are affected by NCDs. Digital therapeutics (DTx) have the potential to offer low-cost personalized interventions easing the burden of NCDs and addressing inequalities in health. This position paper highlights the importance of preventive care and offers a roadmap toward DTx for healthy longevity.
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