E-health seen by patients Ehealth innovation

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Pfizer and Cercle P have published the results of the survey "E-health seen by patients: risk or opportunity?" »Conducted with nearly 300 patient associations. Discovery.

In 2016, the Pfizer laboratory founded a think tank on the patient's place in tomorrow's medicine, bringing together experts from different horizons: Circle P. This circle launched from September 19 to October 24 a large survey to gather the opinion of patient associations on e-health and on the consequences linked to its development.

entitled "E-health seen by patients: risk or opportunity? " this survey reveals a general support from patient associations, however, associated with reservations, particularly in terms of inequalities and deterioration of the relationship between health professionals and patients.

A widely acclaimed use of e-health

To the question "are you a priori favorable to the development of e-health?" ", 76% of the associations questioned answered" yes ". Three-quarters (77%) believe that e-health is an effective solution to combat medical deserts. For 57% of them, the use of teleconsultation could notably allow better access to care and make up for the lack of doctors in certain specialties.

A majority of associations also believe that e-health can have a positive impact on prevention, on follow-up and adherence to treatment (62%), on the level and quality of information (65% ), on lifestyle (72%). In addition, half of the associations expect concrete effects from the development of e-health on the role of carers.

However, 16% of respondents do not know how to position themselves in relation to e-health, probably due to a lack of knowledge or information on the subject.

Between benevolence and reservations: nuanced opinions

As a watermark for a generally positive perception of e-health, certain fears and reservations nevertheless appear among patient associations.

Level and quality of information

If two thirds of associations expect an improvement in the level and quality of information with the deployment of e-health, 20% of associations whose members are mostly aged (over 65) fear a deterioration of these two dimensions (compared to less than 9% of associations for other age groups).

Equality or inequality between citizens

The majority of associations (72%) think that the increasing use of e-health risks creating inequalities due to a lack of equipment (73%) or lack of mastery of the digital tool (85% ). This assessment reveals a generational difference since the fears are greater among the oldest (97% of the over 65s against 56% of the under 20s, and 75% of the 20-45 year olds).

In parallel, more than 40% of respondents are not convinced of the interest of e-health in the management of addiction and aging: 20% of them think that it will not bring improvement and a quarter remains neutral.

"To prevent e-health from creating inequalities between citizens, so that everyone can have the digital solution usefully, it is absolutely necessary to ensure its handling. (..). It is therefore important to be within reach of the user, from the design to the dissemination of a digital solution."Explains Anne Buisson, Deputy Director of the François Aupetit Association (Afa Crohn RCH).

For Françoise Benon, President of the France-AVC National Federation: “ The development of e-health can also generate inequalities between citizens, and this inequality would come from the fact that some people, especially the oldest among them, do not necessarily have a computer or a smartphone. ".

Quality of the relationship between healthcare professionals and patients

While 61% of respondents consider the impact of e-health on care to be favorable, concerns are being expressed about the doctor and patient relationship. Thus, even if almost half of the associations expect an improvement in this relationship, one in five (20%) fears a deterioration. And the deployment of telemedicine solutions increases these fears: for half of the associations, the reduction in direct exchanges due to teleconsultations could have a negative impact on relations between professionals and patients.

Anne Buisson, Deputy Director of the François Aupetit Association (Afa Crohn RCH) explains: "For patients, the quality of the relationship with their doctor is very much linked to listening, availability as well as the effectiveness of care. If e-health, in certain aspects, can greatly improve the quality of this relationship, it is difficult to know for the moment if it will, or already has, a positive impact on it. ".

For an official labeling of the tools

Only 4 out of 10 associations consider that health data is currently very secure. This finding explains that more than 8 associations out of 10 consider that it would be desirable to increase the constraints in terms of security and confidentiality. What about data with the use of telemedicine? Associations are divided on this subject.

So close to one in two associations believe that this approach will have no impact on the confidentiality of the information exchanged, 21% believe that it will have negative repercussions.

For the majority of associations, official labeling would be a relevant initiative with regard to the security and confidentiality problems of digital tools with access to health data. More than 3 out of 4 associations are positioning themselves in favor of labeling medical devices, monitoring sites and platforms, smart health connected objects and health applications, by the Ministry of Health or a public health agency.

Explain and reassure: a necessity, especially for the elderly

In view of the results, it seems necessary to inform, to explain the interest of digital technology, to create reinsurance in order to encourage better support from associations and patients. Without this patient-centered support approach, e-health could struggle to establish itself as a lasting and legitimate solution to the service of certain challenges in our healthcare system.

Particular attention should be paid to certain categories of patients. Indeed, associations with more elderly members are indeed numerous to express reservations and to fear – with the digitization of medical monitoring – an impersonal automation of care or even a deterioration of the human relationship. Indeed, while 75% of those under 20 expect a positive effect of e-health on the doctor-patient relationship, 30% of those over 65 expect a negative effect.

Source: Pfizer

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