2. E-health initiatives yield benefits that encompass the enhancement of health service efficiency and quality, reduction of medical errors, expedited intervention speed, improved access to information, and facilitated information sharing.
The implementation of e-health technologies elevates the quality and expedites the delivery of health services. Numerous studies have demonstrated its efficacy in reducing medical practice errors. Electronic health record-keeping, utilization of decision support systems, and seamless integration of laboratory services have been instrumental in augmenting the quality of health services and patient care.
Notably, the adoption of electronic prescription applications has shown to effectively mitigate errors encountered during the prescribing process5 . Decision support tools possess the capacity to equip physicians with warnings regarding contraindicated drugs, thereby serving as a vital safety measure6 .
Furthermore, e-health technology enables the implementation of opportunity-sensitive strategies for health promotion, which prioritize patient autonomy, self-management of health, provision of preventive health services, and evidence-based chronic disease management4 . E-health holds promise in expanding healthcare self-management and personalized medical care, empowering patients, and fostering cost-effectiveness7-8 . It facilitates patient monitoring of (unhealthy) behaviors, encourages and enables lifestyle interventions, and supports behavioral changes when necessary9-10-11 . Literature evidence underscores the need to cultivate individuals’ potential to assume self-management and take charge of their own health, while involving patients in decisions pertaining to their health, thereby alleviating the burden on primary healthcare institutions12 . Establishing an environment in which primary care professionals support evidence-based and structured self-management of patients, while embracing a person-centered approach in daily clinical practice, necessitates the utilization of electronic support tools.
Moreover, e-health applications foster a streamlined and healthier interaction between patients and healthcare providers10 . Encouraging patient participation in decision-making processes is advocated to balance traditional, paternalistic relationship models, which can limit patients’ agency and increase pressure on physicians13 . Patient involvement entails collaborative care planning, information exchange, goal-setting, and engagement in self-management activities13 . This partnership has been recognized as invaluable in supporting symptom management and control, particularly for patients with chronic health conditions14 . Self-management strategies, encompassing the adaptation of clinical decisions to align with patients’ circumstances, values, and priorities, as well as patients’ active engagement in their own care, are increasingly acknowledged as vital components of chronic disease management and secondary prevention15-16 .
Notably, personalized e-health approaches have demonstrated superior effectiveness compared to standardized approaches applicable to all individuals17 . Personalized (e-health) medicine entails the creation of tailored care plans and strategies for patients through the integration of patient characteristics spanning from genetic factors to environmental influences, facilitated by informatics applications.
The utilization of machine learning techniques to gain insights into patient characteristics represents a burgeoning field of interest18 . Machine learning can be employed to elucidate diagnostic processes, support patient education, predict treatment responses, and facilitate individualized treatment approaches19-20.
The incorporation of individualized e-health practices holds paramount importance. E-health possesses the potential to both amplify and diminish health inequalities21 . As the utilization of e-health contributes to bolstering patient autonomy and fostering self-management, it also serves to reinforce the core competencies of family medicine, including a patient-centered approach and comprehensive, holistic care11 . Patient responsibilities, essential for achieving these clinical objectives and underpinning the quality of primary healthcare, can be more readily fulfilled through e-health practices8-10-22 .
Over the past two decades, the prevalence of remote and virtual teleconsultation experiences has steadily increased. While concerns persist regarding the potential loss of face-to-face contact and its impact on the unique quality of primary care services, existing trials have demonstrated that telemedicine is both acceptable23 .