Digital Health Navigator
Supporting the use of technology in care
What is a Digital Health Navigator?
A Digital Health Navigator is a member of a healthcare team whose role is to support the uptake and implementation of technology into care. In practice, this can include teaching digital literacy, connecting patients to online resources, and troubleshooting technology. The role is designed to be an introductory-level position in healthcare — no formal degree is required — making it an accessible entry point for expanding the digital equity workforce.
The role focuses on supporting the use of smartphones, which are now used by 85% of adults in the United States and are the primary means by which patients engage with digital health tools.
In Our Clinic
While the responsibilities of a Digital Health Navigator will vary with context, within our Digital Clinic they encompass three core functions:
Digital Literacy & Access
Helping patients access technology and building foundational digital skills through individualized support and DOORS group sessions.
App Selection & Support
Guiding patients in choosing appropriate mental health apps and customizing their mindLAMP experience with clinician-assigned surveys and content.
Data Integration
Interpreting and presenting app data to patients and clinicians in a clinically relevant format to support shared decision-making.
Training Curriculum
Our team has developed a training curriculum in collaboration with the Society of Digital Psychiatry that equips peer advocates and health workers with the skills to fill the Digital Health Navigator role. The curriculum is designed to apply across a variety of care settings — mental health, physical health, and community-based programs.
The training covers four modules:
Troubleshooting & Digital Autonomy
Building confidence and competence in resolving common technology challenges and supporting patients in becoming more self-sufficient with their devices.
DOORS & Digital Competence
Learning to deliver the DOORS digital literacy curriculum and assess a patient's baseline digital skills using the Technology Use Survey.
Healthcare & Digital Relatedness
Understanding the landscape of digital health tools, including how to evaluate apps using the mindapps.org framework and navigate digital health resources with patients.
Motivational Interviewing & Digital Navigation
Applying motivational interviewing techniques to the digital context — meeting patients where they are and supporting engagement with technology on their own terms.
We offer this training to external organizations upon request. If your organization is interested, reach out to us at mgranof@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Training Materials
We have created a Digital Navigator training manual that compiles all the materials associated with the Digital Navigator role developed by our lab. The manual includes: how to assess digital literacy and run digital literacy sessions (DOORS), how to run a virtual Digital Clinic, and an in-depth explanation of the mindapps.org app rating framework and how to navigate the database with clients and patients.
Request Access to the Training Manual
To help us understand how the manual is being used, we ask for a few details before sharing the download link.
Request Manual
