Digital Health Innovation Enhancing Patient Experience in Medical Travel

2020 ◽  
pp. 13-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Medhekar
Keyword(s):  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Improve Patient Care ◽  
Health Records ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Medical Travel ◽  
Travel Decision ◽  
Health Data Analytics ◽  
The Relationship

Digital health technological innovations are disrupting every sector of the economy, including medical travel/tourism. Global patients as medical tourists are using patient-centric digital health technologies, enhancing patient/medical tourists experience and making it more transparent and engaging with healthcare providers and medical tourists. Digital communication tools such as e-mail, online appointments, smartphones, instant messaging applications, social media tools, user-generated content by online patient communities, tele-medicine, tele-radiology, my-Health records, Skype consultation, WhatsApp, health video, electronic health records, health data analytics tools, and artificial intelligence-enabled health technologies enhance the medical travel decision-making process, reduce cost, improve patient care and transparency of communication, and engage the relationship between the patient and the healthcare provider with positive outcomes, medical tourist experience, and empowerment.

Digital Health Innovation Enhancing Patient Experience in Medical Travel

2021 ◽  
pp. 199-223
Author(s):  
Anita Medhekar
Keyword(s):  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Improve Patient Care ◽  
Health Records ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Medical Travel ◽  
Travel Decision ◽  
Health Data Analytics ◽  
The Relationship

Digital health technological innovations are disrupting every sector of the economy, including medical travel/tourism. Global patients as medical tourists are using patient-centric digital health technologies, enhancing patient/medical tourists experience and making it more transparent and engaging with healthcare providers and medical tourists. Digital communication tools such as e-mail, online appointments, smartphones, instant messaging applications, social media tools, user-generated content by online patient communities, tele-medicine, tele-radiology, my-Health records, Skype consultation, WhatsApp, health video, electronic health records, health data analytics tools, and artificial intelligence-enabled health technologies enhance the medical travel decision-making process, reduce cost, improve patient care and transparency of communication, and engage the relationship between the patient and the healthcare provider with positive outcomes, medical tourist experience, and empowerment.

scholarly journals Establishing a digital health platform in an academic medical center supporting rural communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 384-388
Author(s):  
Anita Walden ◽  
Aaron S. Kemp ◽  
Linda J. Larson-Prior ◽  
Thomas Kim ◽  
Jennifer Gan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Training Models ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Regional Conference ◽  
Patient Advocates

AbstractThe University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), like many rural states, faces clinical and research obstacles to which digital innovation is seen as a promising solution. To implement digital technology, a mobile health interest group was established to lay the foundation for an enterprise-wide digital health innovation platform. To create a foundation, an interprofessional team was established, and a series of formal networking events was conducted. Three online digital health training models were developed, and a full-day regional conference was held featuring nationally recognized speakers and panel discussions with clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates involved in digital health programs at UAMS. Finally, an institution-wide survey exploring the interest in and knowledge of digital health technologies was distributed. The networking events averaged 35–45 attendees. About 100 individuals attended the regional conference with positive feedback from participants. To evaluate mHealth knowledge at the institution, a survey was completed by 257 UAMS clinicians, researchers, and staff. It revealed that there are opportunities to increase training, communication, and collaboration for digital health implementation. The inclusion of the mobile health working group in the newly formed Institute for Digital Health and Innovation provides a nexus for healthcare providers and researches to facilitate translational research.

scholarly journals Interpretation as luxury: Heart patients living with data doubt, hope, and anxiety

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 205395172092443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stine Lomborg ◽  
Henriette Langstrup ◽  
Tariq Osman Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Dilemmas ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Personal Health ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Heart Patients ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Consumer Devices ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Relationship

Personal health technologies such as apps and wearables that generate health and behavior data close to the individual patient are envisioned to enable personalized healthcare - and self-care. And yet, they are consumer devices. Proponents of these devices presuppose that measuring will be helpful, and that data will be meaningful. However, a growing body of research suggests that self-tracking data does not necessarily make sense to users. Drawing together data studies and digital health research, we aim to further research on data ambivalence, a term we use to refer to the ambiguities and uncertainties people experience when interpreting their own data, as well as the critical obligation towards cultivating ethically sound uses and responses to such data in context. We develop the relationship between data, interpretation, and context as a central theoretical and practical problem in the datafication of healthcare. We then show how interpretation and context matter for data ambivalence through an empirical study of heart patients with an implanted advanced pacemaker who were offered a Fitbit wristband for self-tracking as part of a research project. We argue that the hope, anxiety, and doubt connected to the promise and accuracy of data are tempered by the context and purpose of self-tracking, and by individual circumstances. Finally, we link the findings on context-sensitivity in data interpretation to questions about response-ability in cloud-based care infrastructures. We discuss the ethical dilemmas associated with the use of commercial wellness-technologies in healthcare, and with researching such emerging practices.

Hospital-based HTA: quale valore per la valutazione delle tecnologie nelle Aziende Sanitarie italiane?

2012 ◽  
pp. 55-69
Author(s):  
Paola Roberta Boscolo ◽  
Michela Canobbio ◽  
Oriana Ciani
Keyword(s):  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Hospital Units ◽  
Italian Regions ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Experimental Approaches ◽  
Administrative Procedures ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Relationship

The early development of Italian Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is largely based on experimental approaches to the hospital-based technology assessment, which are argued to be the most important peculiarity of the country and still the real driver of the HTA movement. HTA in hospitals can serve as a tool for aiding administrative procedures or increasing dialogue and transparency as well as supporting the bottom-up awareness generation around HTA principles. The objectives of this study are to present the results of a survey of HTA activities at the hospital level in Italy and to assess the relationship between the implementation of HTA principles and variables, namely consumption and expenditure for orthopaedic prostheses, which have managerial implications for healthcare providers. Our results are based on 38 hospitals located in 13 Italian Regions, 53% of which have a commission working on MDs assessment. Nineteen hospitals declare the existence of a link between procurement and HTA activities. Our findings suggest that HTA could potentially impact on health technologies' uptake and expenditure when realised in coordination with other hospital units, thus becoming a useful tool for local healthcare managers to plan and control their budget.

scholarly journals “Sometimes I don’t have a pulse, and I’m still alive!” Healthcare providers on digital health techs

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
F Tomasella ◽  
H M Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Clinical Value ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Change Promotion

Abstract Background Digital health technologies (DHTs) are increasingly becoming an integral part of our lives, healthcare field included. The WHO recently has even released the first digital health guidelines for worldwide intervention. Commercially available DHTs (e.g. smartphones, smartwatches, apps) may hold significant potential in healthcare, upon successful and constructive integration. Literature on the topic is split between enthusiasm for the potential benefits, and concerns about reliability and effectiveness. Little is known about what healthcare professionals (HCPs) have experienced so far with patients and what they believe the main issues for implementation may be. This study aims to investigate current perceptions of HCPs towards self-tracked health-related outputs from devices and apps available to the public. Methods Nine HCPs volunteered to take part in semi-structured interviews. Data were thematically analysed adopting a pre-constructed framework (deductive approach) based on current (April 2019) literature and the findings from the first two interviews. Results The following main themes were identified and explored in detail: HCPs' experience, perceived knowledge and views on DHTs; advantages and disadvantages; barriers towards healthcare implementation and solutions; future perspectives. While most participants were adopters of DHTs and held positive views about them, their overall experience with patients and the technology was limited. Potential reasons for this included factors such as time/resources availability; colleagues' mindset; lack of evidence of effectiveness for practice; privacy/data security concerns. Conclusions The potential advantages of DHTs' adoption in healthcare are substantial - e.g. patient autonomy, time/resources saving, health and behaviour change promotion. However, future research is warranted focussing on addressing barriers, minimising disadvantages, and assessing the clinical value of commercially available DHTs. Key messages We explored healthcare providers’ views on the role of commercial digital health techs in clinical practice. Despite some privacy and reliability concerns, commercial digital health techs show promise.

Selecting digital health technologies for validation and piloting by healthcare providers: a decision-making perspective from ontario

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Amarjit Chahal ◽  
Abraham Rudnick
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Strategic Direction ◽  
Academic Hospitals ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Alternative Approaches

AbstractDigital health technologies (DHTs) such as health apps are rapidly emerging as a major disruptor of health care. Yet there is no well-established process of decision making for selecting DHTs that are worthy of investing resources in their validation to determine whether they are ready (safe, effective, and not too costly) for health related use. We report here on an Ontario-based initiative to support such decision making. Specifically, we developed a decision-making algorithm that uses approved criteria including the strategic direction of the health research institute and the hospital, and availability of resources. The Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario has adapted our approach for other hospitals. We hope that other healthcare organizations, in and beyond Ontario, will consider this and alternative approaches, and that research will be conducted to evaluate such approaches.

scholarly journals Implementations of digital technologies in COVID -19 pandemic and other health threats: multi nationals responses

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (14) ◽  
pp. e172101421776
Author(s):  
Krishna Prasad Pathak ◽  
Tara Gaire ◽  
Alphonse Laya ◽  
Alessandra Paula Ferreira Moreira Neumann ◽  
Mônica de Souza Brito Conti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Care Management ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Treatment And Diagnosis ◽  
Monitoring Information

COVID-19 has created enormous challenges for health systems around the world. An immense range of digital health technologies has been considered as strategies. The aim of this article is to describe the implementation of digital technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic in prevention, diagnosis and treatment globally. Relevant articles published electronically in English using the following terms "COVID-19", "2019-nCov", "coronavirus", terminologies, "severe acute respiratory syndrome 2", SARS-CoV-2", "access to digital health, telemedicine and e-health, challenges and opportunities, in different data sources were researched. A total of 455 articles were found, and 46 published articles about prevention, treatment, and diagnosis approaches were selected. Digital technologies were useful in holistic control, care management and prevention, digital information, data collection, transfer and storage, frontline protection, risk reduction, analysis and adequate system of monitoring information during the pandemic situation, applying teleservice, consultations to specialists via online/offline, intelligent health system, which decreased the burden of patients to health professionals in institutions. In addition, it helped provide safe, rapidly and adequate patient data; and to avoid contamination for healthcare providers, the general population and patients. Still, the use of digital technologies in health is insufficient in many countries. It is essential to expand alternative ways of adapting digital technologies in health practices, but also to implement other studies on the use of digital health technologies beyond the focus on COVID-19.

scholarly journals Re-envisioning the Pharmacist's Role in the Era of Digital Health—CPhA's Inaugural Digital Health Conference

2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-30
Author(s):  
Parisa Vatanka ◽  
Judy Lofton
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Pharmacy Practice ◽  
Improve Patient Care ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
Practice Models ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Health Products ◽  
Improve Patient

Digital health is rapidly evolving and promises to transform how health care is delivered and consumed. To explore advances at the intersection of health and technology and how pharmacy can embrace emerging modalities moving forward, the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) hosted a Digital Health Conference on October 12 and 13, 2019, in Garden Grove, California. This conference provided an opportunity for pharmacists to gain a deeper understanding of the digital health ecosystem, explore opportunities, and share perspectives for leveraging digital health products to improve patient care. This commentary provides an overview of new and emerging digital health technologies, and a summary of the conference. It is not a comprehensive or systematic review of the field of digital health, rather its scope is limited to the key concepts and perspectives shared at the conference by presenters and participants. Table 1 provides information summarizing what is already known about this subject and what is added by this commentary. During the conference, pharmacists were introduced to definitions and concepts in digital health, discussed opportunities and challenges related to integration of digital health into existing health care infrastructures (including legal and regulatory frameworks, pharmacy practice models and payment), and explored educational needs to prepare pharmacists for their evolving roles. As digital health technologies are being integrated within the healthcare system, this conference aimed to focus on opportunities specific to pharmacy.

scholarly journals Digital Health Divide in South Asia: Ethical Concerns, Challenges, and Recommendations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Mahbub Hossain ◽  
Wenting Weng ◽  
Sudip Bhattacharya ◽  
Hoimonty Mazumder ◽  
Farah Faizah
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Optimal Growth ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Key Stakeholders

The continued development of digital health technologies is reforming health systems and services globally; however, the South Asian countries are experiencing a sub-optimal growth and use of such technologies. Thus, a digital divide in healthcare is affecting the potential transformations in health services and outcomes in this region. This implies inadequate access to the best possible health technologies for a majority of the population, raising ethical concerns for healthcare practice. We discuss such concerns and the underlying socio-ecological challenges at individual, community, society, and systems levels pertinent to the digital divide in healthcare and highlight the strategic recommendations to bridge the existing gaps. These challenges should be addressed through engaging key stakeholders in healthcare including patients, informal caregivers, healthcare providers, health services organizations, technological providers, local and regional regulatory organizations, and other entities who may inform the development and implementation of digital platforms for equitable health across populations in South Asia.

scholarly journals Patients’ preferences regarding the digital capturing of patient-reported outcomes: planning the future follow-up in a prospective heart failure registry

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian König ◽  
Johannes Leiner ◽  
Anne Nitsche ◽  
Konstantinos Mouratis ◽  
Carolin Schanner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Improve Patient Care ◽  
Patient Reported Outcome Measures ◽  
Patient Reported Outcome ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Willingness To Use

Abstract Background Digital health technologies have the potential to improve patient care sustainably. A digital capturing of patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) could facilitate patients’ surveillance and endpoint assessment within clinical trials especially in heart failure (HF) patients. However, data regarding the availability of digital infrastructure and patients’ willingness to use digital health solutions are scarce. Therefore, we conducted a survey as part of a digital-based HF registry. Methods and results The Helios Heart registry (H2-registry) has been introduced as a prospective registry being based on digitally augmented processes throughout the whole trial conduction from patients’ selection to data collection and follow-up (FU). PROMs are captured paper-based at recruitment, but patients are offered two digital solutions for FU. Overall, 125 patients (mean age 67.8 years, 34.4% female) were included in the single-center run-in phase of 16 weeks. Of them, 52.0% were not interested in any digital contact as part of the FU. If digital PROM capturing was conceivable, a web-based solution (70.0%) was preferred to an application-based approach (30.0%). Discrepancies occurred regarding the availability of email accounts and smartphones. Patients in the non-digital group were older (72.0 years vs. 63.2 years, P < 0.01) and more frequently female (female sex, non-digital vs. digital group: 47.7% vs. 20.0%, P < 0.01). Conclusions Our survey illustrated difficulties of implementing a digital FU to record PROMs in a contemporary HF cohort in particular among older patients. Further research is required to specify reasons in case of patients’ unwillingness and to better tailor digital health solutions to patients’ specific needs.

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