Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences

Module Information
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DTZ2024  - Implementing digital technology

Period 4: from 9-2-2026 to 2-4-2026 (maandag 9 februari 2026 tot donderdag 2 april 2026)
Co-requisites:
None
Coordinator: Zijlstra, D.
ECTS credits: 10
Language of instruction: English

Publication dates timetable/results in the Student Portal

Deadline publication timetable
The date on which the timetable of this module is available: vrijdag 16 januari 2026

Deadline publication final result
The date on which the final grade of this module is available: dinsdag 28 april 2026


Resit booking

Exam booking for a test in current academic year (resit)
You will be booked automatically for the resit in one of our resit periods. You may check our calenders to find out which modules can be retaken and when: https://intranet.maastrichtuniversity.nl/nl/fhml-studenten/studieverloop/wanneer-wat
As of one week before the resit test takes place, you can check in Student Portal if you are booked correctly: Student Portal > My Courses > More actions. The test will also be visible in your time table.

Exam booking for a test from a previous academic year (exam only)
All students who have not passed the test for this module in a previous academic year, will be booked automatically for the test during the regular block period. You will be enrolled in the new course in Canvas but not scheduled for a tutorial group and other educational activities. If you do not wish to participate in this test at the end of the regular block period please de-register via askFHML.

Though great care has been taken to assure the accuracy of the information on fhmlweb, the FHML cannot be held responsible for possible printing errors, incomplete information, or misinterpretations. Additionally, the FHML reserves the right to make changes to this information.


Course information

Description: EN:

Digital technology shows immense promises to facilitate affordable and patient-centred health care systems that matches current developments and demands in health (care), prevention and society across the globe. However, in order for end users (those that the innovation is meant for, e.g. patients, health professionals) and intermediates (those that play an active role in disseminating the innovation to the end user, e.g. health professionals, managers) to actually use these digital innovations in their daily practice, substantial efforts need to be made. Simply offering the technology to potential users will not be sufficient.

In this module, students will familiarize themselves with the implementation processes of digital innovations; from innovation introduction via adoption and implementation to reaffirmation. Furthermore, they will explore the issues that influence (individual) uptake of digital technology by stakeholder groups in the context of health care and prevention, both from a theoretical and practical perspective.

Goals: EN:

After completing the module, the student has knowledge and insight into:

 - The iterative relationship between digital technology innovation development and its implementation; 

- The relevance of (cost-)effect evaluation of technological innovations as a prerequisite for implementation; 

- The theoretical and practical processes of implementation from the perspective of an organization and its stakeholders; 

- The different levels of stakeholders that should be involved when implementing digital technology in health care;

- Determinants of digital technology implementation within a health care system context and how these determinants might hinder or facilitate innovation uptake;

- Methods to monitor and evaluate digital technology implementation processes;

- Theories describing (digital) technology acceptance and implementation;

- The value of qualitative research in the exploration of digital technology innovation implementation.

 

After completing the module, the student is able to:

- Critically assess study designs related to (cost-)effect evaluation;

- Analyse and report on qualitative data exploring digital technology innovation implementation;

- Develop an innovation implementation strategy for a specific example of digital health technology innovation, taking into account the needs of relevant stakeholders and various impact indicators concerning reach, effect, adoption, implementation and maintenance (including how to monitor and evaluate these processes).

- Judge the quality of scientific publications and reviews regarding efficacy, cost-effectiveness and cost-utility designs suitable for digital health technology, based on a critical review;

- Judge the quality of organisational reports and policy documents relevant to the implementation of digital health innovations within a health-related context, based on a critical review; 

- Communicate their innovation implementation strategy in oral and written form;

- Apply more group-based qualitative research methods to explore needs and beliefs among stakeholders relevant for digital innovation implementation;

- Describe the application of qualitative research methodology and its results and implications within the context of digital health technology implementation in written form. 

Key words: EN:
Digital Health, Innovation Implementation, Qualitative Research, Negotiation
Literature: Birken SA, Bunger AC, Powell BJ et al (2017). Organizational theory for dissemination and implementation research. Implementation Science, 12, 62. DOI: 10.1186/s13012-017-0592-x Brownson RC, Colditz GA, Knisley Proctor E (2018). Dissemination and implementation research in health: translating science to practice. Fleuren MAH; Paulussen TGWM, van Dommelen P; van Buuren S (2014). Towards a measurement instrument for determinants of innovations. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 26 (5); 501-510. DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzu060. Venkatesh V, Thong JYL, Xu X (2016). Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology: A Synthesis and the Road Ahead. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 17(5); 328–376. DOI: 10.17705/1jais.00428. Nilsen P (2015). Making sense of implementation theories, models and frameworks. Implementation Science, 10, 53. DOI: 10.1186/s13012-015-0242-0.
Teaching methods:
  • Assignment(s)
  • Work in workgroup(s)
  • Lecture(s)
  • Paper(s)
  • Problem Based Learning
  • Presentation(s)
  • Research
  • Skills
  • Training(s)
  • Working visit(s)
Assessments methods:
  • Assignment
  • Attendance
  • Final paper
  • Participaion
  • Presentation
  • Take home exam
  • Written exam

This page was last modified on:vrijdag 21 maart 2025
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