This dissertation investigates the strategic foundation and implementation of a public-private partnership (PPP)-based regional ecosystem to accelerate the digital therapeutics (DTx) industry, with a specific focus on Busan Metropolitan City. As globa...
This dissertation investigates the strategic foundation and implementation of a public-private partnership (PPP)-based regional ecosystem to accelerate the digital therapeutics (DTx) industry, with a specific focus on Busan Metropolitan City. As global healthcare systems confront the challenges of aging populations, rising chronic disease burdens, and soaring medical costs, digital therapeutics, which are evidence-based software medical devices designed to prevent, manage, or treat diseases, are increasingly positioned as a transformative solution to deliver patient-centered, personalized, and preventive care. Digital therapeutics are not merely health-related mobile applications but are subject to rigorous clinical validation and regulatory oversight, functioning as software as a medical device (SaMD). These technologies offer substantial advantages such as real-time data monitoring, personalized treatment algorithms, minimal side effects, and scalable healthcare delivery, especially in resource-constrained or aging regions. Despite advanced digital infrastructure and high-quality medical services, the DTx industry remains in a nascent stage due to institutional limitations such as unclear regulatory pathways, the absence of insurance reimbursement mechanisms, underdeveloped clinical validation environments, and fragmented public-private collaboration. In contrast, global leaders such as Germany (DiGA), the United States (FDA’s Pre-Cert program), and Japan have taken systematic steps to integrate DTx into their national healthcare frameworks through insurance inclusion, regulatory innovation, and pilot programs. To address these gaps, this study adopts a multi-theoretical lens based on innovation ecosystem theory, the Triple Helix model, and platform ecosystem theory to analyze the structural and institutional barriers hindering Korea's DTx industrialization. It develops a policy-driven scenario methodology, benchmark analysis, and regional case study, identifying Busan as an ideal testbed for ecosystem development due to its aging demographics, robust medical and digital infrastructure, smart city initiatives, and policy momentum. The study proposes the “Busan DTx Ecosystem Model,” a regional innovation framework emphasizing six key strategies: (1) development of a DTx cluster and clinical validation platform; (2) strategic redesign of regulatory sandboxes and legal integration through Special Act on the Promotion of Busan as a Global Hub City; (3) establishment of hospital-industry collaboration systems and clinical networks; (4) construction of a data platform and digital health value infrastructure; (5) roadmap development for health insurance reimbursement, drawing on international best practices; and (6) formation of a sustainable public-private governance structure. This research contributes to the academic and policy discourse by being a pioneering doctoral-level study in Korea to propose a comprehensive and operationalized regional strategy for digital therapeutics. It offers empirical and conceptual insights for local governments, healthcare institutions, and policymakers aiming to institutionalize digital therapeutics as a core component of future healthcare delivery systems.