Building Research Capacity: The MSc in Applied Digital Healthcare

Background

In today's rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, the ability to leverage digital health technologies is becoming increasingly crucial for primary care providers. By developing in-depth knowledge of the digital health landscape, primary care teams can unlock a wealth of opportunities to enhance patient access and convenience, drive more proactive and personalised care, optimise practice workflows and productivity, and foster sustainable, future-ready service models.

Digital health is using digital information, it encompasses mobile and smart technologies, and connectivity with the aim of improving health and health services. Examples include smartphone apps, wearable devices, and platforms that provide remote healthcare.

The benefits of good digital health practises include:

• Making getting medical care easier
• Streamlining health systems
• Boosting quality of care
• Lowering healthcare costs
• Customising care to the individual

Progress in action

Digital health solutions are the revolutionising health services, creating a significant demand for health and care researchers and professionals skilled in digital health innovation. However, many graduate programmes providing specialised knowledge in this interdisciplinary domain still need to be improved.

To strengthen expertise in digital health, the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley (ARC OxTV) took action, developing an MSc degree in Applied Digital Health. Led by Professor John Powell, the degree leverages the ARC OxTV’s Applied Digital Health theme (developing new digital tools to aid researchers and health and social care professionals). The Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences (NDPCHS) leads this MSc programme. This new programme will accept applications for its third cohort this year.

This intensive and interdisciplinary one-year course equips students from diverse backgrounds with technical skills to advance digital health and drive critical innovations in primary care. The timely programme meets growing health and care sector needs for professionals to lead developments during rapid global digitalisation.

Course overview

The course consists of eight taught units. Each module focuses on a different way students can use digital health to solve problems in healthcare in the 21st century. These include:

• Foundations of Digital Health
• Harnessing Big Data for clinical decision support
• AI for efficient healthcare systems
• Remote Monitoring and Digital Diagnostics
• Supporting Health Behaviour Change using Digital Tools
• Digital Transformation of Primary Care
• Economics of Digital Health
• User-focused Design and the Lifecycle of Digital Health innovation

The course delivers these modules through various in-person teaching methods, including lectures, seminars, and group work. Learning draws from relevant and real case studies equipping students with practical knowledge.

Students also undertake an individual research project over ten weeks to apply their new knowledge to real-world problems within the field.

Programme reception

We received over 100 applications annually from students with diverse backgrounds. Since the course began two years ago, a total of 33 have enrolled on the programme:16 students graduated from the programme in its first year and 17 students are currently enrolled.

ADH alumni become highly skilled in digital solutions enhancing diagnosis, treatment personalisation, healthy behaviour change, populations health surveillance and more.

The programme has also served as inspiration for students to pursue doctorate degrees.

In our interconnected world, global health challenges require collaborative and interdisciplinary solutions. By immersing myself in the diverse perspectives of digital health, I am better equipped to contribute to the global dialogue on healthcare innovation. This multidimensional understanding enables me to address not only local healthcare issues but also contribute to broader global health initiatives.
– Ashley Murray, an ADH graduate, now undertaking a DPhil in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care.

Vision

Applied Digital Health continues to cement itself as an innovative capacity building model for a healthier future enhanced by strategic technology use.

By completing this unique degree, students become experts in building convenient technological innovations that fit the needs and experiences of doctors and patients. They learn real examples of digital tools (focusing on treatments, diagnosis, monitoring and prevention) and systems that improve health and social care services for all. 

On graduating from the course, students are able to:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of current digital health tools and how to apply them to transform health care and outcomes.
• Build expertise critiquing innovations through an ethical lens and employing user-focused digital health systems and designs.
• Strengthen research competencies allowing them to effectively develop and evaluate cutting-edge solutions that benefit healthcare and society.