Title:	Digital Health Management
Keywords:	Technology Management Health systems Digital-Health
Country:	Switzerland
Institution:	Switzerland - Swiss Tropical & Public Health Institute, Basel
Course coordinator:	Fenella Beynon Christoph Pimmer
Date start:	2025-11-24
Date end:	2025-11-28
About duration and dates:	Application deadline: 20 October 2025 Prep phase: 27 October – 21 November 2025 Hybrid face to face week: 24 – 28 November 2025 Post phase: 01 December 2025 – 09 January 2026
Classification:	advanced optional
Mode of delivery:	Blended-learning
Course location: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, CH – 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
ECTS credit points:	6 ECTS credits
SIT: TOTAL SIT: 180 h - 1) Phase 1: 48 h (distance-based learning, incl. 1h synchronous welcome and Q&A session) - 2) Phase 2: 42 h (hybrid face-to-face contact hours) - 3) Phase 3: 90 h (distance-based learning, incl. 1h synchronous presentation)
Language:	English
Description: After successfully completing the module, students will be able to: 1. Design a concept for a digital health intervention that draws on a user- and system-centred design principles and includes an implementation strategy as well as a monitoring and evaluation plan 2. Develop personas and scenarios and extract functional and non-functional requirements from these 3. Design a digital health intervention implementation strategy taking into account principles of change management and behaviour change 4. Describe the digital health lifecycle incl. stages of maturity and classify interventions accordingly 5. Understand and articulate use scenarios for large language models to provide health advice and support in a global health context, their limitations and mitigation strategies.
Assessment Procedures: The grade of a student is constituted of two assignments. The preparatory assignment, which accounts for 30% of the total mark, and the final assignment, which accounts for 70%. Both assignments will be graded according to a rubric matrix. For the preparatory assignment, students will (1) study given literature resources on digital health foundations, and (2) identify a concrete digital health intervention from the literature. They will then analyse it according to given criteria (such as health system challenges, underlying technology, functionality, implementation approach etc. – which are explained in the literature). Students will work in groups of 3-4 persons. Word count: 3000-4000 words, excluding references. For the final assignment, students are required to work in groups of 3-4 to develop a written concept note for the design and implementation of a concrete digital health intervention, following a set of criteria and principles acquired in the previous two course phases (e.g. including key requirements, personas, scenarios, implementation strategy, etc.). Word count: 4000-5000 words, excluding references. In addition to the written text, each group will be required to present and discuss their findings with the course facilitators. The presentation will take place after the submission of the final assignment. Specific presentation dates will be agreed during the hybrid face-to-face week to ensure that each member of the group can present). A failing mark (less than 60%)in one of the assignments is acceptable as long as the overall mark for the module is at least 60 out of 100. In the case of a failing overall mark, the assignments may be retaken in the next edition of the course.
Content: The following topics will be covered: • Digital Health Interventions (DHI): categories and their connection to health systems (following the WHO's digital health intervention framework); • DHI intervention design process • Digital Health Lifecycle and maturity levels • User- and system-centered design principles • Personas and scenarios for DHI planning • Functional and non-functional requirements • Requirements development (from personas and scenarios) • DHI Implementation strategies including change management and behaviour change principles • Design of Monitoring & Evaluation plans • Use scenarios of conversational AI, especially LLMs, for health advice and support, challenges, and mitigation strategies
Methods: During the two distance-based phases, students will engage in self-paced learning based on the instructions and materials in the course Learning Management System (LMS). - Phase 1: Self-directed study and group work, according to the instructions. Facilitation will be provided via a forum on the LMS and during the synchronous welcome and Q&A session via Zoom. - Phase 2: One week of synchronous learning activities including presentations by lecturers and students, short exercises, group and individual work on case studies, and plenary discussions. - Phase 3: Development of a concept for a planned digital health intervention in groups and its presentation; facilitation and tutoring is provided via a forum on the LMS.
Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree and at least two years' relevant work experience and English; language level TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0 or equivalent, or native speaker or completed higher education in English (with written proof). Students need a reliable internet connection to follow the preparation phase and the post-campus (assignment) phase. No specific software licenses are needed
Attendance: Maximum of 25 students per course; maximum number of tropEd students: 8 Minimum number: 8 students
Selection: For tropEd students: First come, first served principle. Latest application deadline: 5 August 2024
Fees: Students who are enrolled in a tropEd Master programme pay the reduced fee of CHF 2’950; other students pay CHF 3’350 (CHF 492 per ECTS credit point).
Scholarships: none
tropEd accreditation: Accreditation at the Cuernavaca GA, June 2024
Remarks: This module is offered regularly as a core-module in Swiss TPH’s MBA in International Health Management programme, therefore the number of tropEd students is limited.
Email Address:	christoph.pimmer@swisstph.ch
Date Of Record Creation:	2024-07-05 02:54:49 (W3C-DTF)
Date Of Record Release:	2024-07-05 08:06:34 (W3C-DTF)
Date Record Checked:	2024-07-05 (W3C-DTF)
Date Last Modified:	2024-07-25 08:46:22 (W3C-DTF)