More digital tools for health and care are being introduced, however people with an intellectual disability often have trouble using them. One important reason is that they are not involved enough when these tools are developed or implemented. This PhD research explored how eHealth can better match the needs, abilities, and daily lives of people with an intellectual disability (ID) or complex care needs. The full process was examined: from early ideas and design choices to how eHealth is actually implemented. A key finding is that designing and implementing eHealth should not be done separately. Instead, they should be shaped together, step by step and iteratively. It is also important not only to check whether someone can use a tool, but whether it truly benefits them. By working together and actively involving all key stakeholders, people with ID or complex care needs can also experience the advantages of eHealth.
Julia van Calis (1997) obtained her Master’s degree in Health Sciences at the University of Twente in 2020, specializing in Digital Health. She then started her PhD at Radboudumc’s Primary and Community Care department, within the academic collaborative Sterker op Eigen Benen. Since May 2025, she is working as a postdoc and project leader on the RAPIDE and Menofood projects.