Kerman University of Medical Sciences International Journal of Health Policy and Management 2322-5939 13 1 2024 12 01 To What Extent Can Digital Health Technologies Comply With the Principles of Responsible Innovation? Practiceand Policy-Oriented Research Insights Regarding an Organisational and Systemic Issue 1 14 4657 10.34172/ijhpm.8061 EN Hassane Alami Department of Health Management, Evaluation and Policy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada Center for Public Health Research of the University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO), Montreal, QC, Canada Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Pascale Lehoux Department of Health Management, Evaluation and Policy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada Center for Public Health Research of the University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada Sara E. Shaw Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Marietou Niang Université of Quebec at Rimouski, Levy, QC, Canada Kathy Malas Executive Office & Research Centre of The University of Montreal Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Montreal Business School (HEC), Montreal, QC, Canada Jean-Paul Fortin Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada VITAM Research Centre on Sustainable Health, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada Journal Article 2023 04 02 Background Digital health technologies (DHTs) have expanded exponentially since the COVID-19 crisis and have prompted questions about their impact across all levels of health systems. Because health organisations and systems play a central role in the success or failure of the transition to more equitable and sustainable societies, the concept of Responsible Innovation in Health (RIH), focused on aligning the processes and outcomes of innovation with societal values, is gaining interest in research, policy, and practice. This study aims to explore enablers and constraints to the development, procurement and/or utilisation of responsible DHTs in health organisations. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 stakeholders concerned with the development, procurement, and/or utilisation of DHTs in a large Canadian academic health centre. Data were thematically analysed through a mixed deductive-inductive process using the RIH framework. Results Our findings highlight that the consideration of RIH principles in the development, procurement, and/or utilisation of DHTs depends mainly on organisational and systemic factors and conditions, namely: (1) the presence of an organisational culture that promotes RIH in its innovation-related practices and processes; (2) availability of material and financial resources as well as expertise in certain fields (eg, environmental sustainability); (3) the evolution of health technology assessment (HTA) practices to include other dimensions beyond effectiveness, safety, and costs; (4) the scope of the regulatory and legal frameworks that govern the approval and use of DHTs; and (5) the role of the market (eg, venture capital) in the design of federal and provincial innovation policies. Conclusion This study provides insights on practice, policy, and political issues that health organisations may face in the development, procurement, and/or utilisation of responsible DHTs. It can help scholars, practitioners, decision-makers, and industry to create the conditions for a better integration of RIH principles into health organisations and systems.

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