In healthcare, decision-makers face mounting pressure to integrate digital solutions that improve patient outcomes while delivering measurable financial returns. Digital therapeutic tools like Wide Therapy offer innovative approaches to addressing behavioral challenges, but quantifying their value requires a structured framework to measure return on investment (ROI).
Why Measuring ROI Matters for Digital Therapeutics
Healthcare providers—whether schools, hospitals, or therapeutic centers—operate with limited resources and must justify new technology investments. Unlike traditional medical devices with established reimbursement pathways, digital therapeutics often deliver value through indirect means such as improved patient compliance, reduced staff time, and enhanced operational efficiency.
Failed digital health initiatives can lead to substantial financial losses. For instance, the recent case of a digital health startup that raised close to $500 million but ultimately filed for bankruptcy. There are undeniable financial risks associated with unsuccessful digital health projects
Build a Comprehensive ROI Framework
Measure the true value of digital therapeutic platforms with tangible financial metrics and "soft" benefits that ultimately impact the bottom line.
1. Establish Clear Baseline Metrics
Start by documenting current performance across key domains:
Staff time allocation: How much time do staff members spend managing behavioral challenges?
Procedure compliance rates: What percentage of children cooperate with necessary procedures?
Resource utilization: How efficiently are clinical spaces and staff being used?
Appointment metrics: What are your current rates for cancellations, no-shows, and rescheduling?
Intervention success rates: What percentage of behavioral interventions achieve their goals?
These baseline measurements provide the comparison points needed to demonstrate improvement after implementation.
2. Identify Both Hard and Soft Cost Savings
Digital therapeutics generate multiple types of value:
Hard Cost Savings:
Reduced staff intervention time: When children practice procedures through Wide's platform, they require less staff management during actual procedures
Lower sedation requirements: Children prepared through digital practice often need less medication for compliance
Increased throughput: More cooperative patients mean more efficient use of clinical time and space
Reduced appointment cancellations: Better-prepared patients are less likely to miss appointments
Soft Cost Savings:
Staff satisfaction and retention: Reducing the burden of managing challenging patient behaviors improves job satisfaction
Enhanced patient experience: Children who experience less anxiety have more positive associations with healthcare
Family satisfaction: Reduced stress for families translates to higher satisfaction scores
Practice reputation enhancement: Offering innovative solutions positively impacts your practice's image
3. Calculate Implementation Costs
To determine true ROI, account for all implementation costs:
Platform subscription/licensing: Annual or per-user fees
Staff training: Time required for familiarization with the platform
Technical infrastructure: Any hardware needs or upgrades
Implementation time: Hours spent integrating the solution into workflows
Ongoing support resources: Internal resources allocated to supporting the platform
4. Apply the ROI Formula to Digital Therapeutics
While the basic ROI formula remains simple (ROI = Net Benefit ÷ Cost × 100%), the application to digital therapeutics requires thoughtful adaptation.
For example, a hospital implementing Wide Therapy might calculate:
Net Benefits:
30% reduction in procedure time for pediatric patients ($X saved per procedure)
25% decrease in rescheduled appointments ($Y saved in administrative costs)
15% reduction in staff time managing transitions ($Z in labor costs saved)
Total Investment:
Platform subscription ($A)
Initial training hours ($B)
Ongoing support ($C)
This yields a measurable ROI percentage that demonstrates the financial impact of the digital therapeutic tool.
Real-World ROI Measurement for Digital Therapeutics
Wide Therapy's digital platform offers a particularly strong ROI case because it addresses challenges across multiple settings:
For Medical Settings:
By allowing children to practice medical procedures before experiencing them in real life, Wide reduces anxiety and increases compliance. The ROI equation in this setting is multi-faceted and significant. Medical facilities see reduced procedure time as more cooperative patients enable more efficient use of clinical resources. When children cooperate with procedures, the need for additional staff support decreases substantially, allowing for better allocation of personnel. Patients who become comfortable with procedures through digital practice often require lower sedation levels, reducing both costs and risks. Perhaps most impactful to scheduling efficiency is the improvement in appointment completion rates, as better-prepared patients are far less likely to require last-minute cancellations or rescheduling.
As one behavior analyst noted: "The parents were anxious, the staff was frustrated, our girl wouldn't go to the bathroom at preschool! Regular practice on the Wide platform allows practice for transitions, smooths them out, and envelops everything involved in a pleasant cloud of favorite reinforcements for the kids. After about three weeks of practice, she went to the bathroom. Alone. On her own initiative. Great success!"
For Educational Settings:
When implemented in schools and therapeutic programs, Wide delivers ROI through several interconnected benefits. Staff intervention time decreases markedly as children who practice transitions through the platform require substantially less support during actual transitions. This directly translates to more productive teaching time, with fewer disruptions allowing educators to focus on educational activities rather than behavior management. The platform's design encourages independent skill development without constant supervision, fostering self-sufficiency while freeing up valuable staff resources. The cumulative effect creates an improved learning environment where fewer behavioral disruptions benefit all students, not just those using the platform.
For Families:
While parents may not calculate formal ROI, they experience significant "return" in quality of life improvements. Family stress levels decrease as easier transitions and fewer behavioral challenges reduce household tension and conflict. Parents report considerable time savings, with less time spent managing challenging behaviors and more time available for positive interactions. Children develop greater independence through self-management skills practiced on the platform, building confidence that extends to other areas of development. The long-term outcomes represent perhaps the greatest value, as early success with behavioral challenges through digital practice establishes positive patterns that provide lasting benefits throughout childhood and beyond.
Measure Long-Term Value
A comprehensive ROI assessment for digital therapeutics must include long-term value creation
Longitudinal impact: Many benefits compound over time as children develop lasting skills
Expanded applications: Once implemented, platforms like Wide can address multiple behavioral challenges
Preventive benefits: Early intervention through digital practice prevents escalation of behavioral issues
Staff retention value: Reducing burnout from constant behavior management improves retention rates
Implement Your ROI Measurement Strategy
To effectively measure ROI for your digital therapeutic implementation:
Document pre-implementation metrics across all relevant domains
Set clear measurement intervals (3 months, 6 months, 1 year)
Collect both quantitative data (time savings, cost reductions) and qualitative feedback (staff and patient experience)
Adjust for external variables that might impact results
Recalculate ROI periodically as benefits often increase over time
Beyond the Numbers
While financial ROI provides crucial justification for digital therapeutic investments, the true value often extends beyond spreadsheets. Platforms like Wide Therapy transform patient experiences, staff satisfaction, and clinical outcomes in ways that create lasting value for healthcare organizations.
The most successful implementations pair rigorous ROI measurement with a broader value assessment that captures the full impact of digital therapeutics on your organization's mission and long-term success.
For healthcare leaders, understanding how to properly measure ROI on solutions like Wide Therapy isn't just good business—it's essential to making informed decisions that benefit patients, staff, and the organization's bottom line.
Want to learn more about implementing Wide Therapy and measuring its ROI in your setting? Contact our team for a discussion based on your organization's specific challenges and goals.
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