eHealth updates - 10 January 2013

New policy, guidance and e-health initiatives from across the UK. For more information about the e-health theme see Quality and Safety e-Bulletin: e-health.

Some of the resources linked to are in PDF format - see how to access PDF files.

3 Million Lives: Telehealth resources. A new telehealth video from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is available to view on the 3Million Lives website. It includes interviews with GPS, community nurses and patients.

BMC Health Services Research: We are bitter, but we are better off: case study of the implementation of an electronic health record system into a mental health hospital in England. This paper describes the arrival, the process of implementation, stakeholders' experiences and the local consequences of the implementation of an EHR system into a mental health hospital.

BMC Health Services Research: The socio-technical organisation of community pharmacies as a factor in the Electronic Prescription Service Release Two implementation: a qualitative study. "The introduction of a new method of transmitting prescriptions from general practices to community pharmacies in England (Electronic Prescription Service Release 2 (EPS2)) has generated debate on how it will change work practice". This study looked at the ways "social and technical elements of a community pharmacy are used to achieve dispensing through the development of a conceptual model on pharmacy work practice, and to consider how a core technical element such the EPS2 could change work practice."  

BMC Medical Informatics & Decision Making: What is needed to implement a computer-assisted health risk assessment tool? An exploratory concept mapping study. "Emerging eHealth tools could facilitate the delivery of comprehensive care in time-constrained clinical settings. One such tool is interactive computer-assisted health-risk assessments (HRA), which may improve provider-patient communication at the point of care, particularly for psychosocial health concerns, which remain under-detected in clinical encounters. The research team explored the perspectives of healthcare providers representing a variety of disciplines (physicians, nurses, social workers, allied staff) regarding the factors required for implementation of an interactive HRA on psychosocial health."

DH: Digital strategy: leading the culture change in health and care published. This strategy sets out plans for the Department of Health to become a Digital First department of state, with digital tools and techniques embedded throughout its work. It outlines the department's commitments to increase the effectiveness of engagement with stakeholders; improve the development of policymaking; and steward the health and social care system towards a health information revolution.

EHI Mobile: Redbook goes digital. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health is working with a number of commercial suppliers to create a digital version of the Redbook for recording a child’s health and development including details of tests and immunisations. The eRedbook will be accessible by parents and clinicians.
eRedbook.

Health in Wales: Take Health Informatics career tour on online tool. A new and improved version of the Health Informatics Career Framework (HICF) is now available on the internet. The HICF, for people working in health information and technology, has been developed collaboratively between the NHS Wales Informatics Service (NWIS) and informatics colleagues in the Department of Health, and recognises the increasing importance of Health Informatics services to support efficient delivery of patient care.

Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR): A Smartphone-based intervention with diaries and therapist-feedback to reduce catastrophizing and increase functioning in women with chronic widespread pain: randomized controlled trial. “Internet-based interventions using cognitive behavioral approaches can be effective in promoting self-management of chronic pain conditions. Web-based programs delivered via smartphones are increasingly used to support the self-management of various health disorders, but research on smartphone interventions for persons with chronic pain is limited.” 

JMIR: Mobile phone applications for the care and prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases: A review. “Mobile phone applications (apps) provide a new platform for delivering tailored human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention and care.” 

JMIR: A Text messaging-based smoking cessation program for adult smokers: randomized controlled trial. “Despite promising data in Western countries, there is a dearth of research into the efficacy of text messaging-based smoking cessation programs in other settings, including the Middle East, where smoking prevalence rates are higher.” 

JMIR: Should health organizations use Web 2.0 media in times of an infectious disease crisis? An in-depth qualitative study of citizens’ information behavior during an EHEC outbreak. “Web 2.0 media (eg, Facebook, Wikipedia) are considered very valuable for communicating with citizens in times of crisis. However, in the case of infectious disease outbreaks, their value has not been determined empirically. In order to be able to take full advantage of Web 2.0 media in such a situation, the link between these media, citizens’ information behavior, and citizens’ information needs has to be investigated.”

JMIR: Telemedicine Service Use: A New Metric. Policy makers and funding agencies require relevant information on current practices of the use of telemedicine infrastructure and services. Policy makers and funding agencies require relevant information on current practices of the use of telemedicine infrastructure and services. Several metrics have been used to describe  average use of telemedicine services. None are adequate.

NHS Commissioning Board: Securing excellence in IT services: operating model for community pharmacies, appliance contractors, dental practices and community optometry (PDF 287KB). This document outlines how accountability for the delivery of primary care information services will transfer from PCTs to the NHS Commissioning Board, as well as how the management of IT systems will be organised for primary care providers from April 2013. 
News: Primary care IT services: Operating model published. A factsheet and frequently asked questions are also available.

Scottish Government: A National Telehealth and Telecare Delivery Plan for Scotland to 2015: Driving Improvement, Integration and Innovation. A joint National Delivery Plan from the Scottish Government, CoSLA and NHS Scotland, this sets out the vision and direction for a Scotland in which the use of technology, which plays an increasing role in everyday lives, will be integrated into service development and delivery, transforming access to and availability of services in homes and communities and more acute settings. This Delivery Plan sets out six workstreams, each with specific actions to be delivered by 2015.

Scottish Government: Warning and informing Scotland: Using social media in emergencies. This guidance provides responders with information on social media tools and techniques along with practical advice on how these can be harnessed to enhance their communications function.

Welsh Government: First phase of Digital Wales kicks off in Powys with new high-tech healthcare partnership. The Welsh Government has launched Digital Powys, the first phase of their digital strategy which aims to provide more efficient public services with joined-up delivery of education, health and social care. Different multi-media applications and programmes will reduce the need to travel for treatment for patients with certain conditions, and includes video and phone conferencing, assistive technology, and using smart mobile phones.