Co-Creation in Health 4.0 as a New Solution for a New Era

Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Jan 27;11(3):363. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11030363.

Abstract

Previous research on co-creation in healthcare indicates that the use of co-creation in the design process of health solutions influences their greater acceptance and adaptation, resulting in greater efficiency of health services and higher usability of implemented health solutions. Analysis of adaptation and acceptance of new technologies reveals the problem of misunderstanding and the need for more trust in modern tools implemented in the healthcare system. The remedy may be the use of co-creation in the process of developing modern medical products and services. This article's main purpose is to explore the co-creation process in Health 4.0, which is understood as the development of healthcare through the application of methods and tools of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The literature review provided insights for an analytical framework-the co-creation matrix. We analyzed the case of the Italian medical platform Paginemediche.it to reveal the actors' engagement in co-creation. The results demonstrated different levels of engagement in improving the efficiency of implementing medical and technological solutions. Both theoretical and practical analysis proved that the co-creation matrix helps more precisely define the scale and scope of co-creation in Health 4.0.

Keywords: Health 4.0; co-creation; e-health; efficiency of healthcare services; healthcare; usability of healthcare solutions.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.