Although there is no single unanimous definition, eHealth can be thought of as the intersection of digital technology, the internet, social media and healthcare clinical and administrative processes. In other words, "There is (or will be) an app for that . . . " Electronic Health Records; automated, connected patient sensors; and other forms of technology-supported/driven healthcare are part of eHealth trends. It is a growing, world-wide phenomenon. Imagine, for example, an eHealth hospital, a complete interactive monitoring and patient management ehealth solution.
Countries all over the world have begun incorporating eHealth solutions into their healthcare systems.
For example, Denmark has one of the most extensive, nation-wide connections via eHealth technologies in the world. Every citizen has a personal webpage where he/she can confidentially log-in, and perform a wide variety of activities such as:
- monitoring their diagnoses and treatment,
- managing appointments and communicate with physicians,
- keeping track of medication compliance, and
- ordering medication from pharmacies.
eHealth solutions are numerous and readily available. Some examples of the uses of eHealth are listed below:
- Electronic health records systems (EHR) the collection of a patient’s health record into a digital format, making medical record information readily available.
- Telemedicine: providing patients medical care from a distance through video, telephone, or even robotic technologies, overcoming distance barriers in the ICU, home care or rural settings;
- Remote monitoring: technology that allows physicians and hospitals to monitor or receive reports of patient vital signs, scores on self-administered health questionnaires, and other similar techniques that facilitate closer medical supervision of at-risk patients;
- Mobile health (mHealth): providing healthcare recommendations or services through the use of a mobile phone, tablet, or computer, e.g., glucose monitoring, health and fitness applications, and similar capabilities;
- Multidisciplinary case discussions and case management between professionals or between professionals and their patients;
- eHealth communication between patients, patients and hospitals and/or healthcare and medical institutions or clinics;
- Communicating through secure online messaging and video connections;
- Safe exchange of data and information from and to Health Information Exchanges.
The eHealth Thought Lab
Based on client questions and needs, The Fox Group developed an interactive “eHealth Thought Lab.” The eHealth Thought Lab involves three meetings, focused sequentially on (1) concepts, (2) development, and (3) implementation of currently available eHealth solutions. Participants from the client organization will work side by side with several experts from The Fox Group, exploring concepts and opportunities for eHealth applications in your organization.
Consultants of The Fox Group have conducted eHealth Thought Labs and initiatives for other healthcare organizations. This includes assistance in presentations, discussions, and workshops for the implementation of eHealth applications with various healthcare centers, hospitals, and specific departments. Participating audiences include hospital board members, physicians, physician specialists, pharmacy organizations, investors, and even eHealth focused conferences.
Some exa
mples of eHealth Thought Labs and eHealth consulting
- Consulted on a project that aimed at developing a remote monitoring technology for implantable pacemakers and defibrillators.
- Extensively studied monitoring for elderly patients living at home, following security and privacy regulations. In this VIDEO link a nurse can be seen using a service to work with a patient remotely. Remote patients monitoring include remote control of electricity, water, opening/closing of doors, lights, gas, and more.
- Consulted on "Co-Creation (EC3)", a basis to develop online remote services to provide information and support.
- Assisted with Drimpy, an eHealth platform, in conceptual and functional design, and development.
- eHealth adviser via our sister company Symplur, to conferences such as and doctors2.0, as well as healthcare and social media; providing the healthcare hashtag project and data analytics for Medicine X at Stanford University.
- Mr. Rob Halkes, lead European consultant of The Fox Group and lead eHealth consultant, organized a symposium regarding technology developments in Central and Eastern Countries in Europe, some in in cooperation with Gabor Gyarmati from Synapzsis in Hungary. Work has been done on several projects within the eHealth industry to develop health/disease services online for patients, such as TEVA, Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK, and NovoNordisk.
- The Fox Group's lead consultant also presented at other symposia in Berlin, Germany, Paris, France, Madrid, Spain, London, UK, and St. Petersburg, Russia, and also participated at the health20 conference.
The eHealth Thought Lab is available upon request. There are three major reasons why health care organizations would benefit by accelerating use of these eHealth applications.
- First, advances in healthcare (including both technological and healthcare information technology) allow better optimization of patient data in medical decision-making.
- Second, health care providers can better engage, support, and guide patients to participate fully in their healthcare.
- Third, technology aids in facilitating care processes clinically, administratively and logistically, making care more cost effective.
To schedule an eHealth Thought Lab for your healthcare organization, contact us. The future is arriving as you read this. Don't be left behind!