ARMENIAN DIGITAL HEALTH INITIATIVE

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Armenian Digital Health Initiative (ADHI) is a large-scale economic and social development project that began in 2019 as a result of a shared vision by a prominent Digital Health specialist, Professor of Health Informatics at Imperial College London (United Kingdom) Robert Istepanian, PhD, and the Founding President of Armenian Association of Digital Health (AADH), Professor and Head of Digital Health at Deggendorf Institute of Technology (Germany) Georgi Chaltikyan, MD, PhD, who were subsequently joined by the Associate Director of Digital Patient Safety at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (USA) Lernik Essayei, MD, MPA, CPPS and other healthcare and technology specialists from both the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora. The Initiative aims at establishing a competitive Digital Health Ecosystem in Armenia and Artsakh (that has been named the Armenian Digital Health Valley – “DiHVal“), with wide participation of all stakeholders, interested experts and enthusiasts regardless of where they are based, with the long-term ambition of establishing Armenia as a Digital Health Center of Excellence, or Hub of global importance.

The originators of ADHI have developed a vision that advancing Digital Health and becoming a regional (and in the long term global) leader in the field is both possible and feasible, and presents an unprecedented opportunity for Armenia in terms of a revolutionary transformation of its economy, society, and health of Armenians, and should thus be considered a top-level priority by the nation’s government and leadership. 

The Initiative is structured around three pillars: 

1. Applied Health Services (augmentation of the country’s health system with Digital Health applications and services focusing initially on specific Digital Health Demonstrator Projects), 
2. Education, Research & Development (Digital Health study programs, research and development projects), and 
3. Business & Entrepreneurship (a Digital Health startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem).

The mission and objectives of the Initiative are correspondingly stated as follows:

1. To provide innovative Digital Health and Wellness Services that will improve the healthcare outcomes on individual and population levels through using advanced technologies to provide healthcare services at increased quality, affordability and accessibility.
2. To establish a Digital Health Education and Research Hub to provide education and training to healthcare and technology professionals in Armenia and internationally, and to advance applied Digital Health research and innovation.
3. To establish a regionally and globally competitive Digital Health Startup Ecosystem in Armenia, to support entrepreneurship and create a facilitating environment for incubating and accelerating Digital Health businesses for both domestic and (primarily) international and global markets.
4. To establish a Center of Excellence for Digital Health Policy and Research working with the Government of Armenia and other institutions in the country and internationally.

On August 14, 2021, the AADH organized and conducted a high-level Ministerial Workshop on Digital Health Initiative to develop a Declaration on the Armenian Digital Health Cluster and achieve a consensus on the ‘Establishment’ phase objectives and deliverables. 

The ‘Establishment’ phase objectives refer to:

• Establishment of the Digital Health Council (DiHCoN) – an independent strategic board overseeing and promoting the development of the Armenian Digital Health Cluster with up to 15 voting members; 
• Establishment of the Digital Health Development Center (DiHDeC) – an executive body under the auspices of the DiHCoN and Armenian Association of Digital Health. 
• Under the umbrella of this initiative, the AADH conducted a feasibility study, “DIGITAL HEALTH FOR HEALTHCARE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIA”, which will lead to the initiative’s implementation.
  

Phases of Armenian Digital Health Initiative (AADH, 2022)