Special Issue on E-Health Services

Abstract

The importance of e-health to citizens, patients, health providers, governments, and other stakeholders is rapidly increasing. E-health services have a range of advantages. For instance, e-health may improve access to services, reduce costs, and improve self-management. E-health may allow previously underserved populations to gain access to services. Services utilizing apps, social media, or online video are rapidly gaining ground in most countries. In this special issue, we present a range of up-to-date studies from around the world, providing important insights into central topics relating to e-health services.

A Digital Health Service for Elderly People with Balance Disorders and Risk of Falling: A Design Science Approach

“…As observed in other studies [14,15,17,36], the participants of the two focus groups highlighted several benefits of a digital rehabilitation service: comfort, closer physicianpatient interaction anywhere, the potential for patient's motivation and engagement with self-care. Additionally, the availability of the tutorial videos with balance exercises was considered as a positive factor, allowing patients to remember the exercises and motivating them to exercise, including outside the home.…”

“…The ageing process has challenged the sustainability of the healthcare systems, including the Portuguese health system [1,5]. To address this, several approaches have been suggested, such as person-centered health systems and use of digital devices [2,3,[14][15][16][17][18] (Figure 1).…”

The Master Study in Telemedicine and E-health at the University of Tromsø, Norway, 2005–2018

“…Along with the widespread digitalization of the health care services, both the NSE and the Master programme got involved in evaluations of regional and national digitalization projects, for instance the implementation and use of Electronic Health Record systems, laboratory systems, nursing documentation, electronic medication managements systems and so on. And as the use of technology for health changed, the Master programme increased its emphasis on new forms of e-health, including social media and video services [3,4].…”

How Can We Develop an Efficient eHealth Service for Provision of Care for Elderly People with Balance Disorders and Risk of Falling? A Mixed Methods Study

“…In a broader sense, the term characterizes not only a technical development, but also a state-of-mind, a way of thinking, an attitude, and a commitment for networked, global thinking, to improve health care locally, regionally, and worldwide by using information and communication technology ” [ 32 ]. However, there are still constraints to be overcome: technological obsolescence; unsuitable technological devices; regulation, standardization, auditing, inspection and quality control; lack of interoperability; health professional resistance; low organizational capability for new ways of working and organization; shortage of digital training [ 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. In Europe, both the skill development in old age and the aging of younger generations of technology users have led to a growing number of elderly people able to use health and care services online, although to a lesser extent in Portugal [ 39 ].…”