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Health tech trust: undeserved or justified?

Authors:
Hans Ossebaard
Robert Geertsma
Lisette van Gemert-Pijnen

Keywords: risks; eHealth technology; patient safety; quality of care; trust

Abstract:
Challenges for global health care are considerable. Increasing healthcare expenditures, ageing, the rise of chronic diseases and the public health threat of infectious diseases give reason to worldwide concern. Many believe eHealth technologies to contribute to the solution of these issues and to the necessary innovation of healthcare systems. Is the widespread trust among public administrations, care professionals, researchers and the general public justified? The present paper aims to assess the risks of eHealth technologies for both patient safety and quality of care. A quick-scan of scientific literature was performed to collect publications on risks associated with the use of eHealth applications in cure and care. Only random clinical trials (RCTs) were included. Data-management issues were excluded. Of 340 identified publications, 17 met the inclusion criteria. Human, technological or organizational risks appear to be no subject of RCTs. But they come into view en marge implementations. As such, the selected studies suggest there is evidence for risks caused by the use of eHealth in healthcare which can negatively affect the quality of care and the safety of patients. A realistic reconsideration of the implementation of eHealth interventions is recommended. The ceHRes roadmap is an evidence-based guideline to systematically avoid or minimize these risks.

Pages: 134 to 142

Copyright: Copyright (c) The Government of The Netherlands, 2012. Used by permission to IARIA.

Publication date: January 30, 2012

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-4359

ISBN: 978-1-61208-179-3

Location: Valencia, Spain

Dates: from January 30, 2012 to February 4, 2012