Welcome to the RCN eHealth web pages
What is eHealth?
The specialty of eHealth is concerned with promoting, empowering and facilitating health and wellbeing with individuals, families and communities, and the enhancement of professional practice through the use of information management and information and communication technology (ICT).
There is more to eHealth than just technology. It is about finding, using, recording, managing, and transmitting information to support health care, in particular to make decisions about patient care. Computers (and other ICT devices) are merely the technology that enables this to happen.
The RCN eHealth Programme works closely with the eHealth Forum
RCN eHealth publications
The Royal College of Nursing has published a series of publications to ensure nursing staff are up-to-date about eHealth. View the publications on the resources web page.
eHealth At Work
A new resource, called eHealth at Work, was launched in January 2012. This consist of a self contained package aimed at those with little or no knowledge of eHealth and covers electronic patient records, telehealth and online knowledge sources. Digital stories from patients and nurses are embedded in the package to provide additional understanding of the benefits of eHealth. Visit the resource.
RCN Response to NHS Information Strategy
The Department of Health's Information Strategy for the NHS in England “the Power of Information: Putting all of us in control of the health and care information we need” was published on 21 May 2012. Read the RCN press release about the strategy.
RCN eHealth survey
The 2010 eHealth survey was commissioned to explore knowledge and understanding of eHealth among nursing staff. The report includes their views on electronic patient records (EPRs), social networking, training in eHealth, computer access, IT support, supporting patients to use IT and telehealth. Awareness of EPRs is very high and attitudes generally favourable. However knowledge and awareness of telehealth is lower, but most respondents are keen to learn more about how telehealth can support them in practice. The RCN has launched a telehealth elearning resource for members to help meet this need.
The eight recommendations from the eHealth survey include the need for continued communication, education and training about electronic patient records and telehealth developments, promotion of the link between EPRs and quality of care and clinical decision making, and encouragement for employers to ensure that they have clear policies in place and provide adequate equipment to minimise IT security breaches and that all staff are aware of their responsibilities about confidentiality of patient information. The full report is now available to download (PDF 2048KB) [see how to access PDF files].
How to use these web pages
These web pages are being developed to provide the nursing community with information and guidance about eHealth. This includes these core areas:
The RCN is also developing a series of policy briefings, guidance for members, and other products to help members. These are available through Links to resources.
Additional information on eHealth is available via the Information focus section of the Clinical Governance pages.
Finally, RCN Direct Online provides online guidance on issues around aspects of Health records (members only)
Be part of an active eHealth community
The specialist membership group within the RCN concerned with eHealth is the eHealth Forum. Membership is open to all RCN members and is free.
The forum is set to act as a focal point at the RCN to support nurses and ensure that informatics/eHealth is seen as a core element of nursing care which impacts on every aspect of the care delivery process. Most importantly, the forum is providing a bedrock for expert advice in supporting the development of innovative RCN policy to support the future needs of nurses in the UK and beyond.
In January 2012 the name of the forum changed from 'Information in Nursing Forum'. It was felt that the name 'eHealth Forum' better reflects the work of the forum.
Contact us
The RCN eHealth Programme is managed by a team of RCN staff and members of the eHealth Forum. We want feedback from you - what you think of this site so far, and your suggestions about how it should develop, email alison.wallis@rcn.org.uk