TeHIP (The e-Health Innovation Professionals Group) published the study on 29 September 2005. It was based on the views of over 100 healthcare professionals, and sponsored by the British Computer Society Health Informatics Committee, the Department for Trade and Industry and the Department of Health. Titled The Impact of e-Health and Assistive Technologies on Healthcare, it says organisations should introduce applications when there is a clinical and business case to do so, using Connecting for Health (CfH) technologies if in place, but others if there is no route available through the programme. This is preferable over waiting for CfH infrastructure to be in place or pressing on regardless.
It says this approach will engage clinicians in taking advantage of e-technology – such as remote monitoring of patients, video conferencing and web access to health records - and help to save lives. It would also encourage the prospects of small and medium sized companies producing effective solutions.
TeHIP says there is increasing evidence that interactive e-health applications can provide significant benefits, particularly in caring for patients in their homes. A number of successful local applications have been implemented, but in general the health services in England have not yet taken advantage of this potential.
It says the implementation of CfH should provide the technical infrastructure for many of these applications, but that uncertainty about its timescales is restraining the use of the technology. There is also a lack of understanding in the health service about the applications' potential, partly because the DoH has not provided information on the web.
The DoH should make an effort to record evaluation and evidence of clinical benefits, and consider more international cooperation, says the report.
Another hindrance has been that they are viewed as ICT projects and financed from ICT budgets. TeHIP says they should be seen as efforts to improve healthcare rather than technology projects and funded accordingly.
It urges primary care trusts to develop local plans in all specialities, especially for people with long term disabilities.
It also says the full benefits will only be achieved when the technologies are implemented "across a whole health community". Many of the efforts are concentrated on a handful of care trusts, and they should be widened to realise the benefits.
The British Computer Society, with the support of TeHIP, is considering establishing an Interactive Care Health Informatics Specialist Group to facilitate this sharing of ideas and experience.
Quelle: KableNET, 03.10.2005
