The digital divide can hinder the ability of elderly patients to fully benefit from PHRs. They are “digital immigrants”, not having the life-long exposure to technology as younger generations, as well as physical and cognitive disabilities. The aim of this study was to explore the digital divide as a barrier for the use of a PHR in older adults (> 69 years of age) and describe the use of a PHR in an elderly population in Argentina. We conducted a cross sectional study which included older adults who attended the Coronavirus vaccination campaign in 2021. Data were collected through a survey encompassing digital divide factors and use of the PHR. A total of 128 participants agreed to complete the survey, 60.15% reported using the PHR. We found a statistically significant correlation of education level, having a personal computer and internet access with PHR use. Concerning PHR users, 45.45% reported needing assistance to use it. Although the elderly population represents a large portion of patients, there is not enough research done on their use experience using eHealth solutions. There is pending work in the eHealth field to integrate these elders into current PHRs and help them enjoy their benefits.

The objective of this study was to investigate the difficulties and information needs that both patients and their companions have in the context of a scheduled surgery. Observations in the operating room waiting zone and semi-structured interviews were conducted to patients with scheduled surgeries, their companions, administrative staff members and surgeons. We developed a journey map to explain the patient’s experience through the perioperative process. The emerging categories were Fragmented communication, Understanding the surgical process and Waiting times. Knowing the information needs of patients and companions was important to identify problems and opportunities for improvement in our institution’s Personal Health Records.

This study presents an online psoriasis community developed with dermatologists in a PHR. We describe the interaction of users with this platform and the relationship between the use of self-report questionnaires, their results and users’ subsequent contact with the healthcare system. Out of 2175 users that interacted with the platform, 477 visited the forums. 60% of those who completed questionnaires presented at least one abnormal result that prompted a recommendation for an outpatient visit. Although our data suggest a trend, we failed to find a statistically significant association between questionnaire severity and visits scheduling. To our knowledge, this is the first study that analyses the relationship between patient self-reported disease severity and the subsequent contact with the healthcare system.

In 2020, a pandemic forced the entire world to adapt to a new scenario. The objective of this study was to know how Health Information Systems were adapted driven by the pandemic of COVID. 12 CIOS of healthcare organizations were interviewed and the interviews were classified according to the dimensions of a sociotechnical model: Infrastructure, Clinical Content, Human Computer Interface, People, Workflow and Communication, Organizational Characteristics and Internal Policies, Regulations, and Measurement and Monitoring. Adaptation to the Pandemic involved social, organizational and cultural rather than merely technical aspects in private organizations with mature and stable Health Information Systems.