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 .