Effective Work Sample Exercises for Hiring Top Digital Health Strategists

The digital transformation of healthcare requires strategic thinkers who can bridge the gap between clinical needs and technological solutions. Digital Health Strategists play a pivotal role in this transformation, serving as the architects who design and implement digital initiatives that improve patient outcomes, enhance operational efficiency, and drive innovation in healthcare delivery.

Finding the right Digital Health Strategist requires more than reviewing resumes and conducting standard interviews. The complexity of this role demands a rigorous assessment of a candidate's ability to analyze healthcare challenges, develop strategic solutions, communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, and make data-driven decisions. Traditional interview methods often fail to reveal these capabilities in action.

Work samples and role plays provide a window into how candidates approach real-world scenarios they'll face on the job. By observing candidates as they tackle authentic challenges, hiring managers can evaluate their strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, stakeholder management skills, and technical acumen in context. This approach reduces the risk of hiring someone who interviews well but struggles to perform when faced with actual job responsibilities.

The following exercises are designed to evaluate the essential competencies of successful Digital Health Strategists: strategic thinking, technological acumen, collaboration and communication, data-driven decision making, and adaptability. Each activity simulates a scenario that Digital Health Strategists commonly encounter, allowing candidates to demonstrate their capabilities in a practical setting while giving hiring teams concrete evidence of a candidate's potential for success.

Activity #1: Digital Health Needs Assessment and Strategy Recommendation

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to assess an organization's digital health landscape, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop a strategic plan that aligns with organizational goals. It demonstrates their strategic thinking, healthcare knowledge, and ability to translate complex technical concepts into actionable business strategies.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a fictional healthcare organization profile that includes information about its size, patient population, current digital capabilities, pain points, and strategic objectives. Include details about existing systems, workflows, and challenges.
• Provide relevant industry data and trends that might influence digital health strategy decisions.
• Allow candidates 48 hours to review the materials and prepare their assessment and recommendations.
• Schedule a 30-minute presentation followed by 15 minutes of questions from the interview panel.
• Ensure the interview panel includes representatives from clinical, IT, and executive leadership to evaluate different aspects of the candidate's proposal.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided healthcare organization profile and industry data.
• Conduct a needs assessment to identify gaps and opportunities in the organization's current digital health landscape.
• Develop a strategic plan that addresses the organization's pain points and aligns with its objectives.
• Prepare a 30-minute presentation that includes:

1. Assessment of current digital health capabilities and gaps
2. Prioritized opportunities for digital transformation
3. Strategic recommendations with implementation timeline
4. Expected outcomes and success metrics
5. Potential challenges and mitigation strategies

• Be prepared to answer questions about your approach, recommendations, and implementation considerations.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, provide immediate feedback on one strength of the candidate's strategic approach and one area for improvement.
• Ask the candidate to spend 5-10 minutes revising one aspect of their strategy based on the feedback, explaining how they would adjust their approach.
• Evaluate not only the quality of the initial strategy but also the candidate's receptiveness to feedback and ability to adapt their thinking.

Activity #2: Cross-Functional Collaboration Role Play

This role play assesses the candidate's ability to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics, build consensus, and communicate effectively across different departments. It demonstrates their collaboration skills, empathy, and ability to translate between technical and clinical perspectives.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a scenario where a digital health initiative is facing resistance from different stakeholders (e.g., implementing a new telehealth platform that clinical staff are reluctant to adopt).
• Assign team members to play various stakeholder roles: a skeptical physician, a budget-conscious executive, an overwhelmed IT director, and a patient advocate.
• Provide the candidate with background information on the initiative and stakeholder concerns 24 hours before the exercise.
• Schedule a 45-minute session for the role play.
• Brief the role players on their characters' perspectives, concerns, and communication styles.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the information about the digital health initiative and stakeholder concerns.
• Prepare to facilitate a meeting aimed at addressing concerns and building consensus for moving forward with the initiative.
• During the 45-minute role play:

1. Open the meeting with a clear agenda and objectives
2. Acknowledge each stakeholder's perspective and concerns
3. Facilitate a productive discussion that addresses key issues
4. Find common ground and areas of agreement
5. Develop next steps that address stakeholder concerns while advancing the initiative

• Focus on demonstrating active listening, empathy, clear communication, and effective facilitation skills.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the role play, provide feedback on one strength in the candidate's stakeholder management approach and one area for improvement.
• Give the candidate 10 minutes to reflect on the feedback and explain how they would adjust their approach to better address the concerns of the most resistant stakeholder.
• Evaluate the candidate's emotional intelligence, adaptability, and ability to build bridges between different perspectives.

Activity #3: Digital Health Program Evaluation and Optimization

This exercise evaluates the candidate's ability to analyze data from an existing digital health program, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop data-driven recommendations. It demonstrates their analytical skills, critical thinking, and ability to translate insights into actionable strategies.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a dataset and summary report for a fictional digital health program (e.g., a remote patient monitoring program for chronic disease management) that shows mixed results.
• Include various metrics such as adoption rates, clinical outcomes, user satisfaction, operational efficiency, and cost data.
• Provide context about the program's goals, implementation approach, and current challenges.
• Allow candidates 24 hours to review the materials and prepare their analysis.
• Schedule a 30-minute discussion of their findings and recommendations.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided dataset and program information.
• Analyze the data to identify patterns, trends, and areas of concern.
• Evaluate the program's effectiveness against its stated goals.
• Prepare a brief analysis that includes:

1. Assessment of program performance and key insights from the data
2. Identification of 3-5 improvement opportunities
3. Specific recommendations for optimizing the program
4. Implementation approach for your recommendations
5. Expected impact and how you would measure success

• Be prepared to discuss your analytical approach, how you prioritized recommendations, and implementation considerations.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the candidate presents their analysis, provide feedback on one strength in their analytical approach and one area where their analysis could be more comprehensive or insightful.
• Ask the candidate to spend 10 minutes reconsidering one aspect of their analysis based on the feedback, explaining how they would enhance their approach.
• Evaluate the candidate's data literacy, critical thinking, and ability to translate complex data into meaningful insights and actionable recommendations.

Activity #4: Emerging Technology Assessment and Implementation Planning

This exercise assesses the candidate's technological acumen, ability to evaluate new digital health technologies, and skill in planning for successful implementation. It demonstrates their understanding of healthcare technology trends, implementation challenges, and change management principles.

Directions for the Company:

• Select an emerging digital health technology relevant to your organization (e.g., AI-powered clinical decision support, blockchain for health data exchange, or virtual reality for patient education).
• Prepare a brief on the technology, including its capabilities, potential applications in healthcare, and available vendor options.
• Provide context about your organization's current technology ecosystem and strategic priorities.
• Allow candidates 48 hours to research the technology and prepare their assessment.
• Schedule a 45-minute discussion of their findings and implementation approach.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided information about the emerging technology and organizational context.
• Conduct additional research on the technology, its applications in healthcare, and implementation considerations.
• Prepare an assessment that includes:

1. Overview of the technology and its potential value for healthcare
2. Evaluation of its alignment with the organization's strategic priorities
3. Assessment of implementation requirements and challenges
4. Recommended approach for piloting and scaling the technology
5. Implementation roadmap with key milestones and success metrics
6. Risk mitigation strategies

• Be prepared to discuss your evaluation criteria, how you assessed the technology's potential value, and your approach to managing implementation challenges.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the candidate presents their assessment, provide feedback on one strength in their evaluation approach and one area where their implementation plan could be improved.
• Ask the candidate to spend 10 minutes refining one aspect of their implementation plan based on the feedback, explaining how they would enhance their approach.
• Evaluate the candidate's technological understanding, practical implementation knowledge, and ability to balance innovation with pragmatic execution.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should we allocate for these work sample exercises?

Each exercise requires different time commitments. For the strategy recommendation and technology assessment, allow 48 hours for preparation plus 45 minutes for presentation and discussion. For the cross-functional collaboration role play and program evaluation, 24 hours of preparation time is sufficient, with 45 minutes for the actual exercise. Build in time for feedback and candidate response as well.

Should we use all four exercises in our hiring process?

No, we recommend selecting 1-2 exercises that best align with your organization's priorities and the specific responsibilities of your Digital Health Strategist role. Using all four would create an unnecessarily lengthy process that might discourage top candidates from completing your application process.

How should we evaluate candidates' performance on these exercises?

Create a structured evaluation rubric for each exercise that aligns with the key competencies for the role. Have multiple evaluators rate the candidate independently before discussing their observations. Look for evidence of strategic thinking, healthcare knowledge, technological understanding, communication skills, and adaptability.

Can these exercises be conducted virtually?

Yes, all of these exercises can be adapted for virtual settings. For the cross-functional collaboration role play, use video conferencing with breakout rooms. For presentations, use screen sharing. Provide clear instructions about the virtual format and test the technology beforehand to ensure a smooth experience.

How do we ensure these exercises don't disadvantage candidates from diverse backgrounds?

Provide clear instructions and equal preparation time to all candidates. Ensure the scenarios don't require specialized knowledge that would only be available to candidates from certain backgrounds. Consider offering accommodations for candidates who might need them, and train your evaluation team on recognizing and mitigating unconscious bias.

Should we compensate candidates for completing these exercises?

For exercises requiring significant preparation time (like the strategy recommendation), consider offering compensation, especially for final-round candidates. This demonstrates respect for candidates' time and expertise while ensuring you attract high-quality candidates who might otherwise opt out of a time-intensive process.

The digital transformation of healthcare requires strategic leaders who can navigate complex clinical, technical, and organizational challenges. By incorporating these work sample exercises into your hiring process, you can identify candidates who not only understand digital health strategy in theory but can execute it effectively in practice. This approach helps you build a team capable of driving meaningful innovation and improving healthcare outcomes through thoughtful digital transformation.

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