OBJECTIVES: PICOTS-ComTeC, a flexible framework for defining digital health interventions (DHIs) for HEOR purposes, resulted from a scoping review of DHI definitions and a Delphi consensus study. We compared PICOTS-ComTeC (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes, Timing, Setting, Communication, Technology, Context) to established DHI assessment frameworks, to determine the degree of overlap, what PICOTS-ComTeC added, and how the frameworks could be used together.

METHODS: Sixteen frameworks/guidelines (DHI international (9), DHI national (6), and HEOR reporting (1)) were mapped to 9 domains and 32 subcategories of PICOTS-ComTeC. Pairs of reviewers extracted information (e.g. framework title, objective, DHI definition) and if PICOTS-ComTeC domains and subcategories were present (by copying text). The pairs agreed on a consensus spreadsheet, which was examined by a third reviewer.

RESULTS: Sixteen frameworks matched 81% of possible PICOTS-ComTeC domains (average 7.3 domains, range 4 - 9). Eight of the frameworks (50%) matched 9 (WHO CDISAH, Belgium RIZIV, Germany DiGA, UK NICE, CONSORT EHEALTH) or 8 (Finland Digi-HTA, iCHECK-DH, WHO mERA) domains. Subcategory matching was less complete (48% of possible matches). WHO CDISAH was the most complete framework, with all 9 domains and 26/32 subcategories. The Population domain was present for all 16 frameworks, followed by Communication (15), Technology (15), Intervention (14) and Outcomes (14) domains.

CONCLUSIONS: The degree to which PICOTS-ComTeC is congruous with a number of diverse DHI frameworks suggests that PICOTS-ComTeC may represent a common ground for defining and reporting DHIs. PICOTS-ComTeC can supplement some frameworks by suggesting additional domains/subcategories for defining DHIs, while other frameworks, e.g. WHO CDISAH, can provide more granularity to PICOTS-ComTeC DHI definitions.