Digital technologies for managing non-specific low back pain: early value assessment

Companies should provide training for staff in using the technology, when support is needed. The training and implementation period should be before the data collection period and be sufficient to account for potential learning effects.

Focus should be on people with back pain who are referred to the technologies as part of the clinical pathway rather than self-referring.

The company may improve their chance of securing funding by also collecting data on outcomes relevant to other national organisations, for example, work and productivity outcomes.

The evidence generation process is most likely to succeed with dedicated research staff to reduce the burden on NHS staff.

Sites should be carefully selected to, when appropriate, maximise data collection and ensure services representative of those in the NHS are included.

Evidence generation should be overseen by a steering group including researchers, commissioners, practitioners and representatives with lived experience of lower back pain.

Careful planning of approaches to information governance is vital.

the availability of research funds for data collection, analysis and reporting, as well as NHS funding to cover the costs of implementing the technologies in clinical practice

lack of expertise and staff to collect data

burden on clinical staff, such as the need to have training before implementation, data collection and follow up

variable levels of technological literacy affecting uptake and use of the technologies

careful consideration by companies about the point at which the technologies are offered in the clinical pathway because this may affect the technology uptake and observed outcomes

support for languages other than English in the technologies affecting their uptake and use.