On the Utility of E-Health Business Model Design Patterns

New information technologies are not only enabling new health services, but also innovative business models. As the business model defines how value is created, delivered, as well as captured by an e-health service, it is key to the service’s economic success. However, business professionals responsible for developing e-health services often feel overwhelmed when it comes to the design of a corresponding business model because they lack the respective knowledge and experience. In this situation, design patterns can be of help as they document instantiated business model logics for reuse. Since existing business model design patterns are not specific to the e-health domain, they are not easily transferred to an e-health business model. In this paper, we introduce the concept of e-health business model design patterns by creating a corresponding template and by identifying as well as documenting 37 of them. The utility of these design patterns is evaluated in focus groups with business professionals from the e-health domain. We show that e-health design patterns are useful as they provide insights into business model logics, enhance the understanding regarding relevant actors and the respective value flows, foster discussions, support creativity in the design itself, and offer guidance in design decisions.