Enhancing the provision of health and social care in Europe through eHealth.

AIM: To report on the outcomes of the European project ENS4Care, which delivered evidence-based guidelines enabling implementation of eHealth services in nursing and social care.

BACKGROUND: Within a policy context of efficiency, safety and quality in health care, this project brought together a diverse group of stakeholders from academia, industry, patient and professional organizations to lead the development of five eHealth guidelines in the areas of prevention, clinical practice, integrated care, advanced roles and nurse ePrescribing.

SOURCES OF EVIDENCE: Data were collected through a cross-sectional, online, questionnaire survey of health professionals from 21 countries. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and summary statistics, while comments to open questions underwent a process of content analysis.

DISCUSSION: Representing an evidence-based consensus statement, the five guidelines outline key steps and considerations for the deployment of eHealth services at different levels of enablement. Through analysis of the data, and sharing of best practices, common deployment processes and implementation lessons were identified.

CONCLUSION: Findings reveal the richness, diversity and potential that eHealth holds for enabling the delivery of safer, more efficient and patient-centred health care. Nurses and social care workers as the main proprietors of such practices hold the key to a healthier future for citizens across Europe.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: The preparation, agreement and dissemination of the ENS4Care guidelines will enable European Union leaders to diagnose the organizational changes needed and prescribe the development of new skills and roles in the workforce to meet the challenge of eHealth. Nurses and social care workers, with the right knowledge and skills will add considerable value and form an important link between technological innovation, health promotion and disease prevention.