We seek an independent researcher in the field ofHTA/Health economicsenthusiastic about digital health innovations.Are you the scientist who can strengthen our multidisciplinary platformStrategic Intelligence for Digitalization of Societal Domains (SI4DS)?

Assessing and optimizing the impact of digital health innovations

HTA and health economic evaluations have never been more important to keep our healthcare system accessible and affordable! Many digital health innovations, such as e-Health apps and AI algorithms, appear to have the potential to save costs, reduce workload in healthcare, and improve health outcomes. However, while many such innovations are being developed and used, quantitative studies evaluating and optimizing their impact remain rare.

Technologies such as e-Health apps and AI algorithms are ground-breaking, as they are likely to transform the health system and necessitate new policies, financing structures, communication strategies, infrastructure, and analytical methods. As a result, empirical evidence on their impact is often limited, and extrapolation of previous insights from other innovations may not be desirable. Furthermore, their benefits are determined by their use, that is, by the behavior of the end users. Finally, these benefits may go beyond traditional health and economic effects, encompassing for example waiting lists, waste in healthcare, patient empowerment, and continuous learning capabilities related to (health) outcomes. If you have a background in HTA or health economics and (want to) specialize in AI or e-Health, then we are looking for you!

Thefocusof this position is on developing flexible simulations models, reflecting individuals and their (care) context, needed to evaluate digital health innovations on a wide range of traditional and new outcome measures. Such models allow forecasting, that is: making predictions about the future by exploring a range of scenarios and identifying key factors and turning points related to scenario impact. Understanding possible futures regarding digitalization allows policy makers to develop resilient strategies, anticipating on upcoming developments.

The researchstrategybuilds upon HTA, health economics, simulation (including agent-based modeling), organizational or business modelling, expert elicitation, data visualization, combined with interactive model building for strategic decision making.

The SI4DS platform

As member of the SI4DS team you will strengthen the new platform through research and education on model based impact assessment. Your work will support society to anticipate the impact of digital health innovations. This requires continuous interaction with societal partners. Applying a societal, organizational, and individual perspective during evaluation will draw on quantitative but also qualitative research fields and skills.

Responsibilities

The key job responsibilities include:

• Research: contributing to further developing the HTA research line within HTSR. Key activities are co-acquisition and co-execution of research projects focusing on impact analysis, producing high quality journal publications, and securing (inter)national scholarly visibility;
• Education: teaching at different levels; supervising BSc and MSc thesis projects;
• Valorization: engaging with partners, such as policy makers, hospitals, municipalities, insurers, care professionals, patients, and citizens, to identify challenges, questions, and relevant future scenarios related to digital health innovations;
• Organization: supporting SI4DS activities and committees within the TPS cluster and the broader Faculty.

A highly motivated and qualified academic who has an ambition to combine innovative educational activities and ground-breaking research with intelligence for policymaking in healthcare. Willing to work with care providers, patients, engineers, social scientists, societal partners, policy makers and industry to address real-world challenges in healthcare. Educating social/health science students and students in engineering programs.

Criteria that further success:

• A relevant PhD degree;
• In-depth knowledge, skills and experience of quantitative methodologies such as simulation modelling, HTA/health economics, expert elicitation, and scenario analysis;
• A track record in interdisciplinary collaboration, able to bridge engineering science and social science in the context of health;
• High quality research as validated by publications in peer-reviewed journals. Evidence of communicating modelling results to a broad audience of non-experts, and examples of their use in actual decision making in healthcare;
• Possession of a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) certificate, or willingness to acquire the latter, with the ambition to become a creative and effective teacher;
• Very good communication and presentation skills, and an excellent command of English, at least at C2 level;
• International research experience is considered an advantage, as is knowledge of the Dutch language, and experience in acquiring grants.

Requirements and criteria depend on the position applied for. Indicate if you apply for an assistant or an associate professor position in your motivation letter. While working from home is possible part of the time, this position requires presence at the university for at least 2 days per week, on average.

We offer an attractive career opportunity. You will be appointed for 1 year, after which your position can become permanent, subject to a successful evaluation. By starting your career at UT, you will have the opportunity to develop as an internationally acknowledged and recognized academic. An employment at the UT entitles you to:

• The starting salary ranges between € 3.807, - to € 6.421, - gross per month based on your experience;
• Generous social security package, including minimum of 29 holidays per year; a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary; a year-end bonus of 8.3%; a confirmed pension scheme and possibilities to save up for a sabbatical leave.
• Professional and personal improvement programs, including mentoring; the UT also provides support with preparing VENI/VIDI and ERC proposals.
• UT offers an attractive benefits package, including a reduced rate for health insurance and access to sports facilities at work.

TheDepartment of Technology, Policy and Society(TPS) at the University of Twente (UT) constitutes a multidisciplinary department in the BMS Faculty. Our five groups explore and assess how new technologies and innovation affect our societies, institutions and daily lives, and vice versa. We help to craft responsible and sustainable solutions. HTA is the key focus of theHTSRsection (Health Technology & Services Research, https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/htsr/), one of the five TPS groups.