A qualitative approach for the Health Technology Assessment of IT supported Type 2 Diabetes management tools

Abstract

The health technology assessment is fundamental in the acquisition of novel technologies and it is an important tool for the decision makers. With the development of novel emerging mobile-health apps, devices, software and In-formation and Communication Technologies (ICT), the evaluation over a wide range of available products is a critical issue. Here we propose a questionnaire-based approach to assess ICT tools able to facilitate the lives of people with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). We used a 5-point Likert scale as a psychometric scale to assess experts’ opinions regarding novel tools for the T2DM self-management. Preliminary data collected through the administration of the questionnaire show the relative importance of the functionalities and features of the examined technologies, giving opportunities for future improvements.