IAGG e-TRIGGER (Training in Gerontology and Geriatrics)
Origin language: English
As global populations age, with projections indicating over 2 billion individuals aged 60 and above by 2050, health systems are grappling with a dual challenge: heightened demand for complex care and a notable shortage of trained healthcare professionals. Despite this pressing need, education in aging and geriatric care remains inadequate worldwide. In response, the Health Science e-Training Foundation launched e-TRIGGER in 2021, in collaboration with the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics. This fully online international training program aims to fill the educational gap, having successfully trained over 600 healthcare professionals in more than 60 countries (mainly in Asia/Oceania, Africa/the Middle East, and Europe), many of whom have reported applying their new skills immediately in clinical settings. Recognizing GDHH's and Implementome's leadership in digital health innovation and global collaboration, the e-TRIGGER initiative seeks to present its program at GDHH platforms, explore opportunities to co-develop digital education in aging and chronic care, and leverage GDHH's expertise to enhance the program's global impact. This collaboration is poised to significantly bolster digital health education and equip healthcare systems to better address the challenges posed by an aging population. The e-TRIGGER project complements GDHH's focus by providing skilled professionals in geriatrics and gerontology, essential for applying implementation knowledge generated within the digital health ecosystem, particularly in primary health care for the elderly (65+).
The main challenges included resistance to new care models, heterogeneity in participant backgrounds, time-zone barriers, limitations in digital infrastructure, and regulatory variability across countries. These were compounded by contextual factors, including post-pandemic disruptions, workforce constraints, and varying levels of health system readiness. Addressing these challenges has informed the program’s evolution toward greater flexibility, regional adaptation, and scalability.
The implementation of the e-TRIGGER program highlights several key success factors and best practices for scalable global health education. Strong multi-stakeholder engagement—combining international faculty, academic institutions, and clinical experts—was critical to ensuring credibility and adoption. Institutional anchoring within a non-profit foundation provided stable governance, academic rigor, and long-term sustainability. Alignment with global policy frameworks, such as the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, further facilitated uptake.
Best practices include a modular, stackable learning design that enables progressive specialization and the use of blended synchronous and asynchronous delivery to accommodate diverse time zones and resource constraints. Contextualization of content through region-specific case discussions improved relevance and implementation in local health systems. The train-the-trainers model proved essential in creating a multiplier effect and fostering local leadership.
From a scalability perspective, digital infrastructure enabled global reach without proportional increases in cost. Sustainability is reinforced through diversified funding, alumni engagement, and continuous professional development. These elements demonstrate that effective digital health education requires integrated governance, adaptability to context, and a strong focus on implementation and workforce capacity building.
