JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital health has become integral to public healthcare, advancing how services are accessed, delivered, and managed. Health organizations increasingly assess their digital health maturity to leverage these innovations fully. However, existing Digital Health Maturity Models (DHMMs) primarily focus on technology and infrastructure, often neglecting critical communication components.

Objective:

This systematic review addresses gaps in DHMMs by identifying deficiencies in user communication elements and proposing the Digital Health Communication Maturity Model (DHCMM). The DHCMM integrates critical health communication dimensions, such as satisfaction, engagement, personalization, and customization, to provide a comprehensive evaluation framework.

Methods:

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review was conducted on 31 studies selected from 1,138 identified articles across databases, including EBSCO, PubMed, and ProQuest. Studies were screened and included based on their focus on digital maturity and communication elements, with the final selection limited to English-language research addressing DHMMs.

Results:

Among the 1,138 initially identified studies, 31 met the inclusion criteria. Current DHMMs heavily emphasize infrastructure while overlooking user engagement and communication. For instance, only 35% of reviewed models incorporated user satisfaction, and fewer than 20% addressed personalization or customization. The DHCMM addresses these gaps with seven maturity levels, ranging from Initial to Engaged, and emphasizes user-centric metrics and governance. Quantitative analysis showed significant variations in communication metrics, with satisfaction metrics incorporated at an average rate of 22% across reviewed models.

Conclusions:

The DHCMM shifts the focus of digital health maturity assessments by emphasizing communication and user engagement. This model provides healthcare organizations a structured framework to enhance digital health initiatives, leading to better patient outcomes and system-wide efficiencies. The model delivers actionable insights for organizations aiming to achieve advanced digital maturity by addressing underrepresented dimensions. Future research should implement and refine the DHCMM across diverse healthcare contexts to enhance its effectiveness. Adoption of this model could result in more equitable, user-centered healthcare systems that integrate technological advancements with human-centric care.