Digital assistance to support integrated healthcare

• Published in: International journal of integrated care Vol. 23; no. S1; p. 770
• Main Authors: Araja, Diana, Berkis, Uldis, Murovska, Modra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 28-12-2023
• ISSN: 1568-4156; 1568-4156
• DOI: 10.5334/ijic.ICIC23633

This abstract is devoted to digital assistance as a supportive tool of integrated healthcare. According to the World Health Organization, developing more integrated people-centred care systems has the potential to generate significant benefits to health and healthcare of all people, including improved access to care, improved health and clinical outcomes, better health literacy and self-care, increased satisfaction with care, improved job satisfaction, improved efficiency of services, and reduced overall costs [1]. At the same time, the concept of Digital Health supports the implementation of a person-centred integrative approach in healthcare. The European Commission published a Communication on the digital transformation of health and care, which identified the priorities, including personalised medicine through shared European data infrastructure, allowing researchers and other professionals to pool resources, and citizen empowerment with digital tools for user feedback and person-centred care using digital tools to empower people to look after their health, stimulate prevention and enable feedback and interaction between users and healthcare providers [2].
A project to develop a digital assistance platform for long-COVID and associated myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patient healthcare is planned in Latvia. The current main challenge is diagnosis, stratification and monitoring of long-COVID and associated ME/CFS at the point of care, as well as patients’ self-awareness and proper practical navigation within the health system. A technology-grounded solution for m-Health based screening and self-management of ME/CFS will be developed within the patient-centred App model. The objectives of this model are: 1) Patient-centred, societally-oriented, real-time decision-support using an innovative App; 2) Using artificial intelligence to support decision-making on patients and treatment options; 3) Learning opportunities for patients, caregivers and health professionals about the illness. Sustainability of project activities will be supported by integrating of the new databases with the national e-Health and Electronic Health Records (EHRs) systems and national research institutions’ IT systems with the future option to become a base for further developing a common long-COVID and ME/CFS Patients’ Registry.
The project intends to actively involve patients and clinicians in the development of a fully-fledged digital assistance platform that will support the development of digital health literacy and the implementation of integrated healthcare principles.

References:
1. World Health Organization. (‎2015)‎. WHO global strategy on people-centred and integrated health services: interim report. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/155002
2. European Commission. Shaping Europe’s digital future – eHealth. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/ehealth