Use of Mobile Health Technologies for Self-tracking Purposes among Seniors: A Comparison to the General Adult Population in Canada

Based on a national survey of adults investigating digital self-tracking in Canada, this study compares seniors’ use of mHealth technologies to the general population, and explores the factors related to their use. Despite significant differences between the two groups on smart technologies and Internet use, a considerable number of seniors in the community use smart phones and digital tablets and are familiar with smart devices/wearables. Yet, only 20% reported downloading mobile applications (mApps) and 12% indicated using smart devices/wearables. The majority of mApps downloaded by seniors were health-related; interestingly, their use was sustained over a longer period of time compared to the general population. No significant differences were observed between the two groups with regard to satisfaction with mHealth technologies and intention to continue using them, which were favorable. Leveraging these technologies in partnership with health care providers, and sharing of health/wellbeing data with health professionals, family members or friends remains very limited

National Survey of Older Adults in Canada: Social and Health Care System Determinants of E-Health Applications Use

Little is known about e-health applications use by elderly in relation to social and system level determinants. We conducted a national survey of 2000 seniors in Canada assessing their use of technology and e-health applications, social determinants and interaction with the health care (HC) system. The findings demonstrate technological readiness (85% owned computers, 74% used Internet daily/weekly, 90% used e-mail), which does not translate into e-health applications use. Internet use to connect with a HC professional, access test results or patient portal, or medical appointment booking was very limited. The use of wearables, telemonitoring, and fall detection technology was also very low (11.9%, 9.4%, 4.2%, respectively). A digital divide exists among seniors that is underscored by significant associations between e-health applications use and social determinants. Private insurance and willingness to pay for quicker access are related to higher frequency of mApps and Internet use for accessing health information and exchanging with HC providers

Telemonitoring for Seniors with Chronic Heart Failure: Patient Self-Care, Empowerment, and Adoption Factors

Telemonitoring (TM) represents a promising technology for the management of chronic diseases. It is of particular relevance to senior patients with heart failure (HF) condition. This study employs a longitudinal design, and involves three surveys of elderly HF patients (n=23) administered one week, three months, and six months after system adoption. The main constructs were assessed based on existing validated scales. The results show that senior patients perceived value in using TM, did not expect the technology to be difficult to use, and did not encounter barriers to adoption. The analysis of impacts on self-care revealed significant positive effects of TM on the confidence of senior patients in their self-care ability to evaluate their symptoms, address them, and evaluate the effectiveness of the measures they take. Significant positive effects were also observed on two measures of treatment implementation. TM may be leveraged to improve senior patients’ self-care skills, which will benefit their health condition

Hypertension Home Telemonitoring: Current Evidence and Recommendations for Future Studies

Home telemonitoring is a patient-management approach that allows timely data transfer and immediate feedback. With the large number of people experiencing hypertension worldwide and the burden of this medical condition, home blood pressure (BP) telemonitoring has become popular given its potential for reducing cost and improving patient care. This study provides an overview on the current evidence and trends of hypertension telemonitoring, and presents recommendations for future studies in this area. A comprehensive literature search was conducted from 1966 to 2006 on Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO using the key_words `hypertension', `blood pressure', `telemonitoring', `telecare', `telemedicine', `biotelemetry', `telehealth', and `telehomecare'. Fourteen studies involving telemonitoring experiments were found and included in this review, ten of which were conducted in Europe and the US. The studies present evidence on the positive impacts of telemonitoring on patients and their conditions (e.g. significant BP control, better medication adherence, changes in patients' lifestyle). However, the results of the studies should be considered with caution due to the limitations of study designs. Furthermore, little is known about the effects of telemonitoring on services utilization and only one study demonstrated a detailed cost-effectiveness analysis of this approach. This review presents preliminary evidence on the benefits of telemonitoring as a successful patient-management approach. However, at present, limited information exists that would substantiate its effects on the utilization of health services (e.g. office and emergency room visits, hospitalizations) and demonstrate its economic viability. Future studies should examine the effects of mediating variables and the mechanisms through which BP control is achieved. Further research should also incorporate designs that allow more control and investigate its effects over longer time periods with larger diversified samples of patients.Hypertension, Telemedicine

Supplemental Material - Benefits, facilitators, and barriers of electronic medical records implementation in outpatient settings: A scoping review

Supplemental Material for Benefits, facilitators, and barriers of electronic medical records implementation in outpatient settings: A scoping review by Hamidreza Kavandi Zeina Al Awar and Mirou Jaana in Healthcare Management Forum</p

Supplemental Material - Benefits, facilitators, and barriers of electronic medical records implementation in outpatient settings: A scoping review

Supplemental Material for Benefits, facilitators, and barriers of electronic medical records implementation in outpatient settings: A scoping review by Hamidreza Kavandi Zeina Al Awar and Mirou Jaana in Healthcare Management Forum</p

Supplemental Material - Benefits, facilitators, and barriers of electronic medical records implementation in outpatient settings: A scoping review

Supplemental Material for Benefits, facilitators, and barriers of electronic medical records implementation in outpatient settings: A scoping review by Hamidreza Kavandi Zeina Al Awar and Mirou Jaana in Healthcare Management Forum</p