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E-healthmonitor 2023: stand van zaken digitale zorg.

Keij, B., Versluis, A., Alblas, E.E., Keuper, J.J., Tuyl, L.H.D. van, Vaart, R. van der. E-healthmonitor 2023: stand van zaken digitale zorg. Bilthoven: RIVM, 2024. 92 p.

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SYNOPSIS

2023 eHealth Monitor: state of digital care

The healthcare system is under pressure due to an aging population, staff shortages and high costs. Digital
healthcare can possibly help ensure that everyone can continue to receive care, while the quality remains up to
standard. Since 2013, the development of digital healthcare in the Netherlands has been monitored every year.

In 2023, healthcare providers did not use digital healthcare much more frequently than the year before. A few digital tools were used more often. Examples include devices that allow nurses to indicate remotely which medicine a patient should take at what time, or devices that allow them to keep an eye on whether someone at home is in danger. These devices take over some of the work of nurses, providing them with more time to perform other care tasks. Some digital tools were already offered by almost all healthcare providers in 2022, so there was little room for an increase in their use in 2023. This was the case for the patient portal where patients can view test results and send an email to their doctor (the e-consultation).

Most healthcare providers are positive about digital care, but also think that it cannot solve all problems in
healthcare. According to them, digital healthcare can help a little to keep healthcare affordable, reduce their
workload and improve job satisfaction. Nurses have become somewhat more positive about the possibilities of improving the quality of patient care with digital healthcare, for example because it helps patients to receive more
customised care.

Compared to 2021, slightly more patients have started using digital tools, such as the patient portal. People with
fewer years of education and elderly people still make less use of digital tools. It is also noteworthy that patients do not use all digital healthcare options offered to them, such as the e-consultation. The opinions of patients on digital care are divided: about half of them want to use it more, the other half are reluctant. The number of patients who are very negative about digital healthcare has remained the same since 2021.

For the future, it is necessary to integrate digital healthcare more into healthcare as a whole. As part of the daily
work of healthcare providers, it can replace tasks without creating additional work. Both healthcare providers and patients also want to feel that it helps them. Finally, it is important that digital healthcare is accessible to patients and that it is easy to make use of digital healthcare.