The Increasing Importance of the e-Health System after the COVID-19 Outbreak with New Healthcare Expectations

Abstract

Aim: The health system is undergoing a rapid transformation with the constantly developing world. The Covid-19 pandemic that threatens humanity seems to change the health system as in every field. The study aimed to determine the use of the e-Health system before and after the pandemic and how health services have changed after the pandemic. Methods: The study was designed with a mixed method that includes analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data of the study were collected with the help of a questionnaire before the pandemic. Qualitative data acquisition and analysis were carried out after the pandemic. Results: According to the results of the study, the rate of participants who did not use the e-Health system before the pandemic was 73.5% (n=155). When asked about the reasons for not using the e-Health system; 43.2% of the participants (n=67) stated that they did not need it, 28.4% (n=44) were not aware of the system and 28.4% (n=44) stated that they did not know how to use the system. According to the qualitative data results, five main themes were obtained after the Covid -19 outbreak. The themes were; getting health information and guidance remotely during the pandemic is the best alternative, creating a sense of trust, compliance with the new situation, expectations from the health system in the new period, and expectations for guidance in accessing e-health information. Conclusion: The most important result of this study, the increase in the use of distance health and e-health, seems to be the framework of the new health service. When the results are read in this context, it can be predicted that a large share of the investments in the field of health will be shifted to digital health systems. Keywords: e-Health, digital health, COVID-19, expectations, pandemics