Unlocking the Potential: Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of E-Health in Today’s Digital Age

2023-10-22 23:00:00

According to Inami, e-health “advocates the use of information and communication technologies – and more specifically Web technology – to support and improve health care”. Go to the “My health” Internet portal to consult the list of medications you are taking? E-health. Your electronic medical prescriptions from the doctor or dentist? E-health. Telemedicine (teleconsultation, teleexpertise, telemedical monitoring)? E-health.

At European level, digital health is part of the initiative called by the Commission “A Europe fit for the digital age”, due to the “potential benefits that digital services can offer to citizens and businesses in this area”. Three conditions to guarantee the success of the operation. Absolute security to begin with. Access to data, as well as sharing of it, must be ultra-secure. Second, all this information must be shared to improve scientific research, but also prevention, diagnosis, treatments, drugs and medical devices. Finally, these digital services “must make citizens more autonomous in treating their chronic illnesses, adopting healthier lifestyles, and providing feedback to health care providers.”

Challenges

In the eyes of the French company ESCadrille, specializing in digital issues, three issues reveal the importance of e-health. Life expectancy is increasing, but that of living in good health does not necessarily follow the same curve. E-health can help improve the trend. It can also help respond to the glaring shortage of general practitioners: in Belgium, the AVIQ (Walloon Agency for Quality Life) noted last July a worsening of the phenomenon in Wallonia.

Finally, the covid-19 crisis has shown the weaknesses in access to hospitals for a consultation. Final assessment: connected health would be a wonderful opportunity. What’s more, it would be popular with the population. According to a study by the French Directorate of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics, 72% of the population wishes to make appointments online, 59% would like to have connected objects for better daily monitoring in In the event of a chronic illness, 70% would like to access their medical file online and 45% would prefer a vital card directly on their smartphone.

Downside

Faster medicine, easier care, time saving for the patient (no parking to look for, for example), money saving (no travel costs), less risk of contamination… The advantages are numerous. There are no shortage of disadvantages either. Human contact is not the same during remote consultations. Access to the technology itself is also problematic. On the one hand due to the quality of the Internet connection, on the other hand because not everyone has the necessary skills or equipment. This is the case for many elderly people, in particular. Finally, the risk of personal health data being leaked and used by malicious hackers is very real. Several recent examples of cyberattacks targeting hospital institutions have demonstrated this. And it’s not just pirates who are on the lookout. The information collected by connected watches or smart scales might also be of interest to insurance companies. So pros and cons. It’s up to everyone to make their own diagnosis.

This article appeared in Le Télépro on 10/19/2023

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