Exploration des tensions autour de la création de valeur en santé numérique et proposition d’une régulation via des coalitions apprenantes

This article is the result of a multidisciplinary collaboration between a researcher in digital health systems engineering, co-founder of several spin-off companies in this field, and two researchers in entrepreneurship. Together, they conducted an exploratory qualitative study in Belgium by interviewing six experts who have both medical and entrepreneurial backgrounds and work in « healthtechs, » which are companies that provide innovative solutions for clinical care pathways in various sectors. The aim was to better understand collaboration strategies and new forms of value creation between healthcare providers and other market actors (including digital solution providers), as there is limited research on these issues (Kraus et al., 2021). The data thus collected first allowed to reveal the tensions that emerge, in terms of economic issues, quality, accessibility and innovation when healthcare institutions use these healthtechs to digitise their services and the need for alignment of values of the various stakeholders to resolve these tensions. This alignment must go through a new negotiation format focusing on the many criteria mentioned by the respondents.
The authors then propose that such a negotiation be carried out in the form of learning coalitions (Nohrstedt & Heinmiller, 2024). It will be the responsibility of these different stakeholders to develop a common discourse based on consensus criteria. These criteria will focus on the four identified areas of tension (Economies, Quality, Accessibility, and Innovation). Their common definition should promote a business model that is attractive to shareholders, supportive of innovation, focused on patient interest, and impactful for society. Finally, it is proposed that this approach be certified (EQAI label), as the majority of respondents are in favour of this type of unified certification.