Stakeholder-informed prioritisation of HealthTech innovation across chronic respiratory disease: the HERON study

Background Chronic respiratory disease (CRD) is characterised by high symptom burden and frequent emergency admissions, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged populations. Advances in health technology (HealthTech) offer opportunities to improve health outcomes but are most effective when they target the most pressing needs across the CRD pathway. We aimed to develop and apply a stakeholder-informed prioritisation methodology for HealthTech across adult and paediatric CRD. Methods We used a stakeholder-informed prioritisation methodology designed specifically for HealthTech. National surveys and targeted discussions with people living with CRD, individuals at risk, carers and healthcare professionals identified unmet needs and potential HealthTech solutions. Inductive qualitative content analysis generated a longlist of candidate solution areas, which were mapped against a respiratory technology landscape review to produce evidence summaries of current technological capability. These informed a multistakeholder consensus workshop to identify the top 20 priority HealthTech solution areas for CRD. Results A total of 314 patients, carers and healthcare professionals contributed through surveys and targeted discussions. Stakeholders identified 741 challenges and 555 potential HealthTech solutions, which were synthesised into 73 candidate solution areas across 16 priority domains. The technology landscape review found that 52/73 (71.2%) solution areas remained unmet and 21/73 (28.8%) were partially met by existing HealthTech; none were considered fully met. A multistakeholder consensus workshop identified the top 20 priority HealthTech solution areas for CRD. Conclusion This stakeholder-informed HealthTech prioritisation integrates unmet need with current technological capability to inform policy and funding decisions in CRD. The methodology for HealthTech prioritisation can be applied beyond respiratory care.