Abstract
Background:
The EU has set targets where the public will have electronic access to their medical records by 2030.
The European Health Data Space (EHDS) aims to support individuals to take control of their own health data and supports the use of data for better healthcare.
In Ireland, the Sláintecare health reform programme has goals around using digital technologies in health and social care.
The Department of Health has published the General Scheme for the Health Information Bill 2023.
The impacts of the cyber-attack in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the COVID-19 pandemic have brought about potential changes in attitudes to eHealth information technologies.
Aim:
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), in partnership with the Department of Health and the HSE, is undertaking a National Engagement on Digital Health and Social Care.
Evidence is being gathered on the attitudes, opinions, and comfort levels of the public and professionals around the digitalisation of health and social care.
The engagement will identify potential benefits, challenges, and impacts of digitalisation for both the public and professionals across health and social care.
Methods: The National Engagement on Digital Health and Social Care uses a mixed methods approach: a national telephone survey with the public (n= 2009), an online survey with professionals across health and social care (n=1020), and focus groups with both groups.
Focus groups will be carried out to further evaluate the survey findings. The public focus groups will involve engaging with people with positive, negative, and neutral attitudes to digital health and social care based on the survey findings. The focus groups for the public will also target seldom heard groups: members of the Traveller and Roma communities, people with intellectual disabilities, carers, and 16-17 year olds.
Focus groups for professionals across health and social care will be carried out with those working in dentistry, medicine, midwifery, nursing, pharmacy, pre-hospital emergency care, psychology, and professionals registered with CORU.
Discussion
The engagement will look at what digital access to information and digital services mean to the Irish public and professionals, people’s expectations, how they would like to use digital information and services, and where the public and professionals are in terms of readiness for digitisation.
The engagement findings will provide evidence and valuable insights to help inform national policy and legislation, future plans in health technology, and recommendations on the use of digital tools.
HIQA, the Department of Health, and the HSE will use the findings to help progress digital health and social care in Ireland.