E-health Implementation Research Articles

Encouraging patient empowerment in a general hospital using e-Health

Contribution and responsibility of patients in the area of patient safety is encouraged by the Dutch government.Technology has provided the means to give the patient better access to health care information. The role of the patient is changing. In the past health care providers had a more paternal approach (the patient does exactly what(ever) the doctor says), whereas nowadays the doctor and patient make decisions together. Furthermore, people are starting to organize their own health care. Health care providers offer expertise and support instead of making decisions for the patients. (VWS,2014)As an answer to this different approach, the Jeroen Bosch Hospital has developed several actions.Joost van de Mortel (2013) made it clear with a qualitative research (N=13) the hospital (community) is open to the application of patient empowerment and already applies it, consciously or subconsciously. Despite the good intentions, there are misconceptions regarding patient empowerment that obstruct proper application. In the organization the structure, applied systems and the lack of a management model in which patient empowerment is central, prevent full implementation of patient empowerment.In a consecutive study Jean Marc Reinold (2014) made an inventory which functionalities in a patient portal (“An online gateway that gives the patient control in gathering and sharing information about their health through multiple websites and / or functionalities”) would contribute to ‘patient empowerment’.Besides an extensive literature review, the researcher has gathered information by means of a questionnaire (168 patients, a 95% reliable sample), focus group discussion with 7 patients and the result of a Digi panel inquiry (50% of the 150 panel members i.c. patients responded) of the Jeroen Bosch Hospital (JBZ).The research made clear the patients want to have direct access to their complete medical record, including lab results, research results and imagery. The function ‘inspection of medical records’ makes it possible to take more control of their own treatment (patient empowerment). Besides seeing their medical records the patients of the JBZ want to be able to make several (combined) appointments themselves and to have the possibility of email correspondence with their own doctor. The real empowering ability of a patient portal has to do with the attitude of the doctor and his patient to move towards dialogue and cooperation.This means that in addition to the practical development and implementation of the portal, now in progress after the deployment of the Electronic Patient File (EPF), the strategic reasons for the use of the portal need to be promoted and spread within the organization.To implement the portal successfully within the organization some misunderstandings among the staff has to be resolved:- the abilities of the patients regarding eHealth are sufficient in general and still developing,- the exact content of the patient portal (test-results, images, diagnosis/reports, treatment plan) by using a demo,- the influence on the work processes and financial consequences .Further staff training and a helpdesk should facilitate the implementation.Direct active involvement in the development and implementation of the patient portal of motivated patients will contribute to increasing support and will have a positive marketing effect.Use of e-Health and patient empowerment is a powerful combination. Technology and most patients are ready, a lot of professionals in health care in the Netherlands are positive on patient empowerment and are using e-Health fragmented.Barriers to implement are merely the absence of a clear policy of the organization, the organizational structure, the systems, the skills and attitude of a minority of the professionals and the adjustment of the system of financial compensation (a negotiation with the insurance companies is necessary to compensate digital interaction with the patient).In a presentation the impact and outcomes of several actions to improve patient empowerment and e-Health (project Digital Working) within the Jeroen Bosch Hospital and developments on the implementation of eHealth in the Netherlands can be shared.

Readiness of healthcare providers for eHealth: the case from primary healthcare centers in Lebanon.

BackgroundeHealth can positively impact the efficiency and quality of healthcare services. Its potential benefits extend to the patient, healthcare provider, and organization. Primary healthcare (PHC) settings may particularly benefit from eHealth. In these settings, healthcare provider readiness is key to successful eHealth implementation. Accordingly, it is necessary to explore the potential readiness of providers to use eHealth tools. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the readiness of healthcare providers working in PHC centers in Lebanon to use eHealth tools.MethodsA self-administered questionnaire was used to assess participants’ socio-demographics, computer use, literacy, and access, and participants’ readiness for eHealth implementation (appropriateness, management support, change efficacy, personal beneficence). The study included primary healthcare providers (physicians, nurses, other providers) working in 22 PHC centers distributed across Lebanon. Descriptive and bivariate analyses (ANOVA, independent t-test, Kruskal Wallis, Tamhane’s T2) were used to compare participant characteristics to the level of readiness for the implementation of eHealth.ResultsOf the 541 questionnaires, 213 were completed (response rate: 39.4 %). The majority of participants were physicians (46.9 %), and nurses (26.8 %). Most physicians (54.0 %), nurses (61.4 %), and other providers (50.9 %) felt comfortable using computers, and had access to computers at their PHC center (physicians: 77.0 %, nurses: 87.7 %, others: 92.5 %). Frequency of computer use varied. The study found a significant difference for personal beneficence, management support, and change efficacy among different healthcare providers, and relative to participants’ level of comfort using computers. There was a significant difference by level of comfort using computers and appropriateness. A significant difference was also found between those with access to computers in relation to personal beneficence and change efficacy; and between frequency of computer use and change efficacy.ConclusionThe implementation of eHealth cannot be achieved without the readiness of healthcare providers. This study demonstrates that the majority of healthcare providers at PHC centers across Lebanon are ready for eHealth implementation. The findings of this study can be considered by decision makers to enhance and scale-up the use of eHealth in PHC centers nationally. Efforts should be directed towards capacity building for healthcare providers.

EHealth strategies and platforms – The issue of health equity in Sweden

ObjectiveThis paper critically reviews the national strategies on e-health development in Sweden during the last decade. The aim is to identify the discourses that drive the development and implementation of eHealth in Sweden, with a particular focus on the rationales behind the government initiated PHR platform HälsaFörMig (HealthForMe), and discuss them in relation to health equity. MethodsThe empirical base for this study is government policy documents and interviews made with policy makers in the e-health sector in Sweden. The research design builds on qualitative text analysis method drawing on epistemological and ontological assumptions from discourse analysis. ResultsOur framework for analysis focuses on governing aspects of the eHealth sector drawing on the works of governmentality theorists. We have identified how the eHealth sector is increasingly governed through market mechanisms, healthism and responsibilisation and is forming individuals into self-managing health-conscious consumers in a way that may undermine reaching other core values in society such as health equity. It also shows that the design and administration of HälsaFörMig aim to stimulate innovation in the eHealth sector thereby illustrating the interrelationship between the governing techniques of market mechanism and healthism. ConclusionIn order to close health gaps in a population the core governing rationalities driving the development in the eHealth sector have to be identified, monitored and evaluated to foresee if they help or hinder health equity.

Making sense of changing health landscapes- new demands for research and evaluations

Making sense of changing health landscapes- new demands for research and evaluations

“A European developed eHealth technology does not lead to a European implementation strategy towards (business) exploitation: a tale of two countries”

Introduction: Telemedicine is becoming increasingly important for delivering top-quality care to European citizens to cope the aging populations, rising costs and higher demand of care [1]. It is already established that telemedicine adoption varies among different countries [2]. Furthermore, the increased need for effective business models to implement eHealth solutions is already shown [3]. A one-size-fits-all implementation strategy (derived from a generic business model) for a Pan-European e-Health innovation, will most likely not succeed without either adapting the technology and services or differentiating the business models, according to differing health and social systems [4]. This is already indicated in similar studies with Electronic Health Record cases [5]. This case study examines a European, ICT-supported e-Health service in two different health and social systems and the subsequent implementation strategies. Methods: The PERSSILAA project was chosen as a case. This community-based, ICT supported service model was developed to detect and prevent frailty and functional decline in older adults [6]. We identified differences in a descriptive between-case-analysis for Italy and The Netherlands. Five steps were taken: 1) an inventory of the barriers, 2) review of the evidence 3) tailoring of the business models 4) implementation of the innovation and 5) assessment of the effects. Results: A one-size-fits-all business model and hence implementation strategy turned out to fail due to differences in adoption and implementation possibilities in the two different health and social systems. We present the Italian and Dutch and implementation strategy for the PERSSILAA eHealth solution and compare the differences in the business models. These differences results in different strategies, as example how to use the innovation when Dutch users use it privately at home on a multiple devices while the innovation in Italian is community-based and use one device in a group meeting. Conclusion and discussion: A pan-European eHealth business model and implementation strategy is an illusion. We reflect on the necessity of tailoring business models to regional context in order to allow further (business) exploitation and scale-up of eHealth solutions.

Factors that influence the implementation of e-health: a systematic review of systematic reviews (an update).

BackgroundThere is a significant potential for e-health to deliver cost-effective, quality health care, and spending on e-health systems by governments and healthcare systems is increasing worldwide. However, there remains a tension between the use of e-health in this way and implementation. Furthermore, the large body of reviews in the e-health implementation field, often based on one particular technology, setting or health condition make it difficult to access a comprehensive and comprehensible summary of available evidence to help plan and undertake implementation. This review provides an update and re-analysis of a systematic review of the e-health implementation literature culminating in a set of accessible and usable recommendations for anyone involved or interested in the implementation of e-health.MethodsMEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and The Cochrane Library were searched for studies published between 2009 and 2014. Studies were included if they were systematic reviews of the implementation of e-health. Data from included studies were synthesised using the principles of meta-ethnography, and categorisation of the data was informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).ResultsForty-four reviews mainly from North America and Europe were included. A range of e-health technologies including electronic medical records and clinical decision support systems were represented. Healthcare settings included primary care, secondary care and home care. Factors important for implementation were identified at the levels of the following: the individual e-health technology, the outer setting, the inner setting and the individual health professionals as well as the process of implementation.ConclusionThis systematic review of reviews provides a synthesis of the literature that both acknowledges the multi-level complexity of e-health implementation and provides an accessible and useful guide for those planning implementation. New interpretations of a large amount of data across e-health systems and healthcare settings have been generated and synthesised into a set of useable recommendations for practice. This review provides a further empirical test of the CFIR and identifies areas where additional research is necessary.Trial registrationPROSPERO, CRD42015017661 Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13012-016-0510-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Comparison of national e-health implementation in the United States and South Korea

With the development of the health care industry, there has been growing recognition that e-health implementation is needed to improve the efficiency, quality, and safety of care. In addition, a review of previous studies suggests that much can be learned by investigating the difference in national e-health implementation in the United States and in South Korea. To this end, the main objective of this article is to compare the national e-health implementation in the case of the United States and South Korea. The results show that in the United States a decentralized e-health implementation is being followed by individual-level e-health. South Korea is pursuing ubiquitous health u-health after a hospital information system and electronic health were implemented. The United States still lags behind many other countries in the implementation of e-health, possibly due to its low uncertainty avoidance culture. South Korea has been among the frontrunner groups in e-health implementation as a consequence of its highly developed telecommunication infrastructures and high uncertainty avoidance culture. On the basis of these results, we recommend that establishing health care policies be done on a national scale that takes into account the countries' cultures.

'Observational medicine': registries and Electronic Health Recording for science and health systems governance.

'Observational medicine': registries and Electronic Health Recording for science and health systems governance.

The design and application of an e-health readiness assessment tool.

To date, several models have been developed to evaluate e-health readiness in healthcare organisations; however, no specific tool has been designed to assess or measure e-health readiness. The aim of this research was to design an e-health readiness assessment tool and to apply this tool to two Iranian hospitals to assess their readiness for the implementation of e-health. The study, which was undertaken in 2012, consisted of three phases: (i) review of existing models of e-health; (ii) design of an e-health readiness assessment tool; and (iii) trial of the assessment tool in two Iranian hospitals. Phase 1 consisted of a literature review that informed the development of the tool. In phase 2, we developed an e-health readiness assessment tool with feedback using two questionnaires from 40 employees from two teaching hospitals in Iran. In phase 3, we applied the tool to the same two Iranian teaching hospitals. Participants who completed the questionnaires were from management, health information technology, medical and nursing backgrounds and were familiar with e-health. A purposive sampling method was used to invite them to take part in the study. Data from the questionnaires were analysed using factor analysis and descriptive statistics. Five dimensions and twenty-one indices were selected to be included in the e-health readiness tool. The 5 dimensions and their relative importance were e-health readiness (16%), information and communication technology (ICT) functions (15%), environmental readiness (20%), human resources readiness (29%) and ICT readiness (20%). The total e-health readiness scores for hospital A and hospital B were 0.22 and 0.4, respectively (a score of 1 is the ideal). It is important to assess the e-health readiness of hospitals to save time and money and be able to better prepare for ICT implementations. The e-health readiness assessment tool provides a relatively simple method for assessing hospitals and provides essential information to assist healthcare facilities focus preparations and planning for e-health implementations.

Searching for a sustainable process of service user and health professional online discussions to facilitate the implementation of e-health

Many e-health projects fail to be implemented. We aimed to find a sustainable process of service user and health professional online discussions about e-health to facilitate implementation and identification of needed research. A previously piloted course compared Mental Health participants' views with publications, identifying 'quick wins' and barriers to e-health implementation. This study explored this approach further in eight domains including Health Promotion, Mental Health, and Carers. Courses comprised webinar, 1-week closed discussion forum, and final webinar. Participants discussed 12 e-health topics. Course analysis identified that five out of eight domains 'worked'. Participation was appreciated and service users influenced health professional thinking. The principle of service user-health professional online discussions to prepare for e-health implementation works for most domains, but the work of participant recruitment and forum management may make other methods, such as Tweetchats or courses hosted by existing forums where service users predominate, easier to sustain in the long term.

Expectations and needs of patients with a chronic disease toward self-management and eHealth for self-management purposes.

BackgroundSelf-management is considered as an essential component of chronic care by primary care professionals. eHealth is expected to play an important role in supporting patients in their self-management. For effective implementation of eHealth it is important to investigate patients’ expectations and needs regarding self-management and eHealth. The objectives of this study are to investigate expectations and needs of people with a chronic condition regarding self-management and eHealth for self-management purposes, their willingness to use eHealth, and possible differences between patient groups regarding these topics.MethodsFive focus groups with people with diabetes (n = 14), COPD (n = 9), and a cardiovascular condition (n = 7) were conducted in this qualitative research. Separate focus groups were organized based on patients’ chronic condition. The following themes were discussed: 1) the impact of the chronic disease on patients’ daily life; 2) their opinions and needs regarding self-management; and 3) their expectations and needs regarding, and willingness to use, eHealth for self-management purposes. A conventional content analysis approach was used for coding.ResultsPatient groups seem to differ in expectations and needs regarding self-management and eHealth for self-management purposes. People with diabetes reported most needs and benefits regarding self-management and were most willing to use eHealth, followed by the COPD group. People with a cardiovascular condition mentioned having fewer needs for self-management support, because their disease had little impact on their life. In all patient groups it was reported that the patient, not the care professional, should choose whether or not to use eHealth. Moreover, participants reported that eHealth should not replace, but complement personal care. Many participants reported expecting feelings of anxiety by doing measurement themselves and uncertainty about follow-up of deviant data of measurements. In addition, many participants worried about the implementation of eHealth being a consequence of budget cuts in care.ConclusionThis study suggests that aspects of eHealth, and the way in which it should be implemented, should be tailored to the patient. Patients’ expected benefits of using eHealth to support self-management and their perceived controllability over their disease seem to play an important role in patients’ willingness to use eHealth for self-management purposes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1484-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Physician leadership in e-health? A systematic literature review.

Purpose This paper aims to systematically review the literature on roles of physicians in virtual teams (VTs) delivering healthcare for effective "physician e-leadership" (PeL) and implementation of e-health. Design/methodology/approach The analyzed studies were retrieved with explicit keywords and criteria, including snowball sampling. They were synthesized with existing theoretical models on VT research, healthcare team competencies and medical leadership. Findings Six domains for further PeL inquiry are delineated: resources, task processes, socio-emotional processes, leadership in VTs, virtual physician-patient relationship and change management. We show that, to date, PeL studies on socio-technical dynamics and their consequences on e-health are found underrepresented in the health literature; i.e. no single empirical, theoretic or conceptual study with a focus on PeL in virtual healthcare work was identified. Research limitations/implications E-health practices could benefit from organization-behavioral type of research for discerning effective physicians' roles and inter-professional relations and their (so far) seemingly modest but potent impact on e-health developments. Practical implications Although best practices in e-health care have already been identified, this paper shows that physicians' roles in e-health initiatives have not yet received any in-depth study. This raises questions such as are physicians not yet sufficiently involved in e-health? If so, what (dis)advantages may this have for current e-health investments and how can they best become involved in (leading) e-health applications' design and implementation in the field? Originality/value If effective medical leadership is being deployed, e-health effectiveness may be enhanced; this new proposition needs urgent empirical scrutiny.

Women health extension workers: Capacities, opportunities and challenges to use eHealth to strengthen equitable health systems in Southern Ethiopia.

This study assesses the feasibility of female health extension workers (HEWs) using eHealth within their core duties, supporting both the design and capacity building for an eHealth system project focussed initially on tuberculosis, maternal child health, and gender equity. Health extension workers, Health Centre Heads, District Health Officers, Zonal Health Department and Regional Health Bureau representatives in Southern Ethiopia. The study was undertaken in Southern Ethiopia with three districts in Sidama zone (population of 3.5 million) and one district in Gedeo zone (control zone with similar health service coverage and population density). Mixed method baseline data collection was undertaken, using quantitative questionnaires (n = 57) and purposively sampled qualitative face-to-face semi-structured interviews (n = 10) and focus group discussions (n = 3). Themes were identified relating to HEW commitment and role, supervision, and performance management. The Health Management Information System (HMIS) was seen as important by all participants, but with challenges of information quality, accuracy, reliability and timeliness. Participants' perceptions varied by group regarding the purpose and benefits of HMIS as well as the potential of an eHealth system. Mobile phones were used regularly by all participants. eHealth technology presents a new opportunity for the Ethiopian health system to improve data quality and community health. Front-line female HEWs are a critical bridge between communities and health systems. Empowering HEWs, supporting them and responding to the challenges they face will be an important part of ensuring the sustainability and responsiveness of eHealth strategies. Findings have informed the subsequent eHealth technology design and implementation, capacity strengthening approach, supervision, and performance management approach.

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF USER INSIGHTS FOR E-HEALTH DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES IN TURKEY, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA, EGYPT AND UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Implementation of e-health is expected to affect the outcomes of medical services positively, by contributing to the effectiveness and efficiency of overall healthcare ecosystem. This becomes more crucial in developing countries where access, finance, resources and competent professionals in healthcare are limited. This field study assesses healthcare professionals’ insights, for the major challenges of e-health development with a distinctive model and comparative analysis in four emerging countries; Turkey, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Egypt. The research is conducted by user questionnaires and face to face interviews of healthcare professionals. Results indicate that information communication technology infrastructure, regulations, cultural and clinical adaptation of users, financing, supply chain management are some major challenges. Specially trust to e-business in healthcare, compliant use of big data in digital health and patient privacy play a key role for faster development of e-health.

Technology-Based Innovations to Foster Personalized Healthy Lifestyles and Well-Being: A Targeted Review.

BackgroundNew community-based arrangements and novel technologies can empower individuals to be active participants in their health maintenance, enabling people to control and self-regulate their health and wellness and make better health- and lifestyle-related decisions. Mobile sensing technology and health systems responsive to individual profiles combined with cloud computing can expand innovation for new types of interoperable services that are consumer-oriented and community-based. This could fuel a paradigm shift in the way health care can be, or should be, provided and received, while lessening the burden on exhausted health and social care systems.ObjectiveOur goal is to identify and discuss the main scientific and engineering challenges that need to be successfully addressed in delivering state-of-the-art, ubiquitous eHealth and mHealth services, including citizen-centered wellness management services, and reposition their role and potential within a broader context of diverse sociotechnical drivers, agents, and stakeholders.MethodsWe review the state-of-the-art relevant to the development and implementation of eHealth and mHealth services in critical domains. We identify and discuss scientific, engineering, and implementation-related challenges that need to be overcome to move research, development, and the market forward.ResultsSeveral important advances have been identified in the fields of systems for personalized health monitoring, such as smartphone platforms and intelligent ubiquitous services. Sensors embedded in smartphones and clothes are making the unobtrusive recognition of physical activity, behavior, and lifestyle possible, and thus the deployment of platforms for health assistance and citizen empowerment. Similarly, significant advances are observed in the domain of infrastructure supporting services. Still, many technical problems remain to be solved, combined with no less challenging issues related to security, privacy, trust, and organizational dynamics.ConclusionsDelivering innovative ubiquitous eHealth and mHealth services, including citizen-centered wellness and lifestyle management services, goes well beyond the development of technical solutions. For the large-scale information and communication technology-supported adoption of healthier lifestyles to take place, crucial innovations are needed in the process of making and deploying usable empowering end-user services that are trusted and user-acceptable. Such innovations require multidomain, multilevel, transdisciplinary work, grounded in theory but driven by citizens’ and health care professionals’ needs, expectations, and capabilities and matched by business ability to bring innovation to the market.

Use and Uptake of eHealth in General Practice: A Cross-Sectional Survey and Focus Group Study Among Health Care Users and General Practitioners

BackgroundPolicy makers promote the use of eHealth to widen access to health care services and to improve the quality and safety of care. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm among policy makers for eHealth does not match its uptake and use. eHealth is defined in this study as “health services delivered or enhanced through the Internet and related information and communication technologies.”ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate (1) the current use of eHealth in the Netherlands by general practitioners (GPs) and health care users, (2) the future plans of GPs to provide eHealth and the willingness of health care users to use eHealth services, and (3) the perceived positive effects and barriers from the perspective of GPs and health care users.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of a sample of Dutch GPs and members of the Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel was conducted in April 2014. A pre-structured questionnaire was completed by 171 GPs (12% response) and by 754 health care users (50% response). In addition, two focus groups were conducted in June 2014: one group with GPs (8 participants) and one with health care users (10 participants).ResultsThree-quarters of Dutch GPs that responded to the questionnaire (67.3%, 115/171) offered patients the possibility of requesting a prescription via the Internet, and half of them offered patients the possibility of asking a question via the Internet (49.1%, 84/171). In general, they did intend to provide future eHealth services. Nonetheless, many of the GPs perceived barriers, especially concerning its innovation (eg, insufficient reliable, secure systems) and the sociopolitical context (eg, lack of financial compensation for the time spent on implementation). By contrast, health care users were generally not aware of existing eHealth services offered by their GPs. Nevertheless, half of them were willing to use eHealth services when offered by their GP. In general, health care users have positive attitudes regarding eHealth. One in five (20.6%, 148/718) health care users perceived barriers to the use of eHealth. These included concerns about the safety of health information obtained via the Internet (66.7%, 96/144) and privacy aspects (55.6%, 80/144).ConclusionsGPs and health care users have generally positive attitudes towards eHealth, which is a prerequisite for the uptake of eHealth. But, general practitioners in particular perceive barriers to using eHealth and consider the implementation of eHealth to be complex. This study shows that there is room for improving awareness of eHealth services in primary care. It will take some time before these issues are resolved and eHealth can be fully adopted.

EHealth and the need for education in biomedical and health informatics for the physicians in Bulgaria

Introduction . eHealth applications are numerous: electronic health records, evidence-based practice, delivering care from a distance, patient self-care, epidemiological research, healthcare management activities etc. However, the effective provision of healthcare as appropriate to the eHealth environment, needs not only suitable buildings and modern medical equipment, it needs adequately trained healthcare staff. The aim of this study is to assess the readiness and the willingness of the Bulgarian physicians to work in eHealth environment and to give reason for their still actual necessity of education in biomedical and health informatics. Material and methods . An enquiry was carried out in 2013 among the physicians in Bulgaria aiming at the assessment of their knowledge of using computers in their daily medical practice, their attitude to eHealth and their readiness to work in eHealth environment. Results. The results of the study showed the positive attitude of the Bulgarian physicians to information technologies (97%) and their recognized need of using computers in medicine (91.9%). Although 77.49% declared that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to use computers, the study proved that this is just a basic computer literacy (word-processing and Internet). About half of the respondents recognize the need of additional education: databases and medical information systems (37.64%), graphical software (40.59%), statistical software (47.98%), specialized medical software (48.34%). The majority of the participants (86%) wish to personally use computers in their daily medical practice, yet only 38.4% of them wish to enter patient data in a computer by themselves. In fact, only 17.7% are aware of the principles of eHealth. Conclusions . Тhe adequate education in biomedical and health informatics is one of the most important prerequisites for the successful implementation of eHealth in Bulgaria. Keywords : Biomedical and health Informatics, eHealth, computer literacy, ICT

Development of students’ eHealth, mHealth and serious games expertise in health behavior change during health and social studies

Development of students’ eHealth, mHealth and serious games expertise in health behavior change during health and social studies

Nurses' Attitudes Towards E-Learning for E-health Education

Many studies and authors' own studies suggest that e-learning system is the solution that will establish an educational framework for e-health implementation. Therefore, it is essential in order to achieve success, to assess and evaluate the attitude of the nursing community - who are the end users - towards the possibility of implementing the 'E-learning system' as a solution to educate the nursing community. In this research, a survey captured 52 nurses' attitudes towards an on line e-learning website and showed that nurses have positive attitude.

Enabling Psychiatrists to Explore the Full Potential of E-Health.

The World Health Organization in its recent statement has highlighted the potential of the evolving field of E-Health (1). It defines E-health as the process in which health resources and health care are being communicated and transferred by electronic medium (1). It states explicitly that with the implementation of E-health, it is to be expected that there will be more efficient usage of healthcare resources in the future. Indeed, there has been major advances in the technological field over the past decade, especially so, with the introduction of Smartphone and their associated applications. Smartphones represent a new modality of technology that offers more than what conventional mobile technology could offer. Given that they are equipped with tremendous computing power, they now allow individuals and healthcare workers to access not only information but also work on the go. The authors acknowledge that E-health also encompasses other modalities of technologies, such as telephone-delivered therapy, virtual reality, and text messaging technology. In this manuscript, we will focus mainly on the smartphone aspect of E-health.