Development of Publicly Funded eHealth in Poland: Barriers and Opportunities

An aging population is considered a major challenge for governments and healthcare planners. eHealth is perceived as a tool with the potential to ensure efficient healthcare. Moreover, eHealth services may help older adults to maintain longer life in good health. However, there are still several challenges to the large-scale implementation of these solutions among older adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore determinants of the acceptance and use of eHealth by older adults in Poland. Data was collected by the questionnaire, and the UTAUT model was employed. This research covered older adults aged 60 to 69. The analysis of the results using nested regression analysis showed that performance expectancy has a strong significance on the older adults’ acceptance and use of eHealth, followed by effort expectancy and social influence. In contrast, facilitating conditions do not have a significant influence on the acceptance and use of eHealth. These findings may also be beneficial for the government to provide relative policies to support the development and usage of eHealth services as well as for the healthcare devices industry to design more older adult-oriented products.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Determines the Acceptance and Use of eHealth by Older Adults in Poland?

Rój

2022

“…Finally, clearly, according to the medical professionals organizing and implementing an EMR is for the benefit of the health consumer and the health unit, since, it might lead to significant savings in time and costs by avoiding medical and other test redundancies. However, the governments can also benefit from such systems deployed in the public and private hospitals of their responsibility since EMR deployment everywhere has the potential of dramatically reducing the workload of the medical professionals at times when there appears to be a certain shortage of those especially in certain European but also in the GCC countries and elsewhere [ 51 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electronic Medical Records in Greece and Oman: A Professional’s Evaluation of Structure and Value

Xanthidou

Shuib

Xanthidis

et al. 2018

An Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a patient’s database record that can be transmitted securely. There are a diversity of EMR systems for different medical units to choose from. The structure and value of these systems is the focus of this qualitative study, from a medical professional’s standpoint, as well as its economic value and whether it should be shared between health organizations. The study took place in the natural setting of the medical units’ environments. A purposive sample of 40 professionals in Greece and Oman, was interviewed. The study suggests that: (1) The demographics of the EMR should be divided in categories, not all of them accessible and/or visible by all; (2) The EMR system should follow an open architecture so that more categories and subcategories can be added as needed and following a possible business plan (ERD is suggested); (3) The EMR should be implemented gradually bearing in mind both medical and financial concerns; (4) Sharing should be a patient’s decision as the owner of the record. Reaching a certain level of maturity of its implementation and utilization, it is useful to seek the professionals’ assessment on the structure and value of such a system.

“…Mainly, these studies were based on the representative group of the population. There is also literature on the barriers and opportunities in development of publicly funded eHealth [ 23 ] or effectiveness of tele-medical care [ 24 ]. Thus, there are no such structured studies on equity and eHealth for Poland, thus this research will allow filling in the gaps in existing literature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inequity in the Access to eHealth and Its Decomposition Case of Poland

Rój

2022

The aim of this research is to analyze the disparities in the distribution of information and communication technologies and skills across geographically determined population groups and to identify the source of the inequity. Literature showed that the nature of e-Health has the potential to resolve health inequalities. However, its successful implementation depends on such factors as the accessibility of required technologies to all people, the existence of technical infrastructure as well as people having the necessary information and communication skills. Employment of the Theil index allowed us to measure and decompose the national inequality into both: between and within macro-regions differences. Data was collected from Statistics Poland. The results showed the existence of inequity and its drivers. The novelty of this research results from application of the Theil index in the field of eHealth and identification of the barrier in access to e-Health, which can be a basis for improvement in government policy.