Examining the adoption and implementation of behavioral electronic health records by healthcare professionals based on the clinical adoption framework.

BACKGROUND: While various quantitative studies based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Technology Acceptance Models (TAM) exist in the general medical sectors, just a few have been conducted in the behavioral sector; they have all been qualitative interview-based studies. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to assess the adoption dimensions of a behavioral electronic health record (EHR) system for behavioral clinical professionals using a modified clinical adoption (CA) research model that incorporates a variety of micro, meso, and macro level factors. METHODS: A questionnaire survey with quantitative analysis approach was used via purposive sampling method. We modified the existing CA framework to be suitable for evaluating the adoption of an EHR system by behavioral clinical professionals. We designed and verified questionnaires that fit into the dimensions of the CA framework. The survey was performed in five US behavioral hospitals, and the adoption factors were analyzed using a structural equation analysis. RESULTS: We derived a total of seven dimensions, omitting those determined to be unsuitable for behavioral clinical specialists to respond to. We polled 409 behavioral clinical experts from five hospitals. As a result, the ease of use and organizational support had a substantial impact on the use of the behavioral EHR system. Although the findings were not statistically significant, information and service quality did appear to have an effect on the system's ease of use. The primary reported benefit of behavioral EHR system adoption was the capacity to swiftly locate information, work efficiently, and access patient information via a mobile app, which resulted in more time for better care. The primary downside, on the other hand, was an unhealthy reliance on the EHR system. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated in this study that the CA framework can be a useful tool for evaluating organizational and social elements in addition to the EHR system's system features. Not only the EHR system's simplicity of use, but also organizational support, should be considered for the effective implementation of the behavioral EHR system. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (IRB No.: B-1904-534-301).

Impact of mobile health application on data collection and self-management of epilepsy.

Recent advances in mobile health have enabled health data collection, which includes seizure and medication tracking and epilepsy self-management. We developed a mobile epilepsy management application, integrated with a hospital electronic health record (EHR). In this prospective clinical trial, we assessed whether the mobile application provides quality healthcare data compared to conventional clinic visits, and enhances epilepsy self-management for patients with epilepsy. The study population includes patients with epilepsy (ages 15 years and older) and caregivers for children with epilepsy. Participants were provided access to the application for 90 days. We compared healthcare data collected from the mobile application with data obtained from clinic visits. The healthcare data included seizure records, seizure triggering factors, medication adherence rate, profiles of adverse events resulting from anti-seizure medication (ASM), and comorbidity screenings. In addition, we conducted baseline and follow-up questionnaires after the 90-day period to evaluate how this mobile application improved epilepsy knowledge and self-efficacy in seizure management. Data of 99 participants (18 patients with epilepsy and 81 caregivers) were analyzed. Among 24 individuals who had seizures, we obtained detailed seizure records from 13 individuals through clinic visits and for 18 from the application. Aside from the 6 individuals who reported their medication adherence during clinic visitation, half of the study participants had adherence rates of over 70%, as monitored through the application. However, the adherence rates were not reliable due to high variability. Twenty-three individuals reported 59 adverse reactions on the application, whereas 21 individuals reported 24 adverse reactions during clinic visits. We collected comorbidity data from 4 individuals during clinic visits. In comparison, 64 participants underwent comorbidity self-screening on the application, and 2 of them were referred to neuropsychiatric services. Compared to rare/non-users, app users demonstrated significant improvement in epilepsy knowledge score (p < 0.001) and self-efficacy score (p = 0.038). In conclusion, mobile health technology would help patients and caregivers to record their healthcare data and aid in self-management. Mobile health technology would provide an influential clinical validity in epilepsy care when users engage and actively maintain records on the application.

Perspectives of Patients, Health Care Professionals, and Developers Toward Blockchain-Based Health Information Exchange: Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Although the electronic health record system adoption rate has reached 96% in the United States, implementation and usage of health information exchange (HIE) is still lagging behind. Blockchain has come into the spotlight as a technology to solve this problem. However, there have been no studies assessing the perspectives of different stakeholders regarding blockchain-based patient-centered HIE. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze the awareness among patients, health care professionals, and information technology developers toward blockchain-based HIE, and compare their different perspectives related to the platform using a qualitative research methodology. METHODS: In this qualitative study, we applied grounded theory and the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in the Health Service (PARiHS) framework. We interviewed 7 patients, 7 physicians, and 7 developers, for a total of 21 interviewees. RESULTS: Regarding the leakage of health information, the patient group did not have concerns in contrast to the physician and developer groups. Physicians were particularly concerned about the fact that errors in the data cannot be easily fixed due to the nature of blockchain technology. Patients were not against the idea of providing information for clinical trials or research institutions. They wished to be provided with the results of clinical research rather than being compensated for providing data. The developers emphasized that blockchain must be technically mature before it can be applied to the health care scene, and standards of medical information to be exchanged must first be established. CONCLUSIONS: The three groups' perceptions of blockchain were generally positive about the idea of patients having the control of sharing their own health information. However, they were skeptical about the cooperation among various institutions and implementation for data standardization in the establishment process, in addition to how the service will be employed in practice. Taking these factors into consideration during planning, development, and operation of a platform will contribute to establishing practical treatment plans and tracking in a more convenient manner for both patients and physicians. Furthermore, it will help expand the related research and health management industry based on blockchain.

User Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators to the Implementation of Electronic Health Records in Behavioral Hospitals: Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the rapid adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) resulting from the reimbursement program of the US government, EHR adoption in behavioral hospitals is still slow, and there remains a lack of evidence regarding barriers and facilitators to the implementation of mental health care EHRs. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to analyze the experience of mental health professionals to explore the perceived barriers, facilitators, and critical ideas influencing the implementation and usability of a mental health care EHR. METHODS: In this phenomenological qualitative study, we interviewed physicians, nurses, pharmacists, mental health clinicians, and administrative professionals separately at 4 behavioral hospitals in the United States. We conducted semistructured interviews (N=43) from behavioral hospitals involved in the adoption of the mental health care EHR. Purposeful sampling was used to maximize the diversity. Transcripts were coded and analyzed for emergent domains. An exploratory data analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Content analyses revealed 7 barriers and 4 facilitators. The most important barriers to implementing the mental health care EHR were the low levels of computer proficiency among nurses, complexity of the system, alert fatigue, and resistance because of legacy systems. This led to poor usability, low acceptability, and distrust toward the system. The major facilitators to implementing the mental health care EHR were well-executed training programs, improved productivity, better quality of care, and the good usability of the mental health care EHR. CONCLUSIONS: Health care professionals expected to enhance their work productivity and interprofessional collaboration by introducing the mental health care EHR. Routine education for end users is an essential starting point for the successful implementation of mental health care EHR electronic decision support. When adopting the mental health care EHR, managers need to focus on common practices in behavioral hospitals, such as documenting structured data in their organizations and adopting a seamless workflow of mental health care into the system.

Developing a mobile epilepsy management application integrated with an electronic health record for effective seizure management.

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent spontaneous seizures. Over 70% epilepsy patients can live normally if their seizures can be controlled. For this, many factors should be tracked and managed, but doing so is hard because of individual differences. There are mobile applications to help track these factors; however, no application covers crucial factors comprehensively, and they are complicated to use. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a mobile epilepsy management application covering crucial factors comprehensively in a user-friendly way. We evaluated the pilot version with a usability and satisfaction survey and an interview. METHODS: We established a task force comprising professionals from various fields who participated in all processes of this research. Existing service analysis and professional interviews were conducted to draw a function list. User interface and graphic user interface were designed under the supervision of the task force. After developing the application's pilot version, usability and satisfaction of the application were evaluated with eight patients and caregivers through scenario-based usability test, satisfaction survey, and interview. RESULTS: All existing mobile epilepsy management applications provide seizure and medication diary functions. We decided to provide six main functions: seizure diary, medication reminder, appointments, outpatient survey, education materials, and personal dashboard (My epilepsy). We also integrated the application with the hospital's electronic health record system. To simplify usability, frequently used and relatively important functions are located in the main page as "seizure recording" and "medication diary." Additionally, when designing graphics, art therapy was used to enhance psychological stability. For evaluation, eight participants were recruited. In scenario-based tasks, among 10 tasks, all participants completed six tasks. However, only 37.5% participants could record seizures in detail. System Usability Scale score was 84.5 points, indicating that the system was satisfactory. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that patients' satisfaction of this application were high. Additionally, it helped them record their seizures accurately, which is very useful for seizure trend analysis, discovering seizure trigger factors, and ensuring efficient management of epilepsy. Through integration with the electronic health record, patient medical information could be utilized to guide physicians' decision-making for setting future medical treatment plan and could contribute greatly to the overall management of epilepsy.

Design of a Hospice Referral System for Terminally Ill Cancer Patients Using a Standards-Based Health Information Exchange System.

OBJECTIVES: The demand for hospice has been increasing among patients with cancer. This study examined the current hospice referral scenario for terminally ill cancer patients and created a data form to collect hospice information and a modified health information exchange (HIE) form for a more efficient referral system for terminally ill cancer patients. METHODS: Surveys were conducted asking detailed information such as medical instruments and patient admission policies of hospices, and interviews were held to examine the current referral flow and any additional requirements. A task force team was organized to analyze the results of the interviews and surveys. RESULTS: Six hospices completed the survey, and 3 physicians, 2 nurses, and 2 hospital staff from a tertiary hospital were interviewed. Seven categories were defined as essential for establishing hospice data. Ten categories and 40 data items were newly suggested for the existing HIE document form. An implementation guide for the Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture developed by Health Level 7 (HL7 CCDA) was also proposed. It is an international standard for interoperability that provides a framework for the exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval of electronic health information. Based on these changes, a hospice referral scenario for terminally ill cancer patients was designed. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show potential improvements that can be made to the current hospice referral system for terminally ill cancer patients. To make the referral system useful in practice, governmental efforts and investments are needed.

Development of Child-Teen Obesity Treatment Service Platform.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop an effective and efficient obesity treatment and management service platform for obese children/teenagers. METHODS: The integrated smart platform was planned and established through cooperation with service providers such as hospitals and public health centers, obese children/teenagers who constitute the service's user base, and IT development and policy institutions and companies focusing on child-teen obesity management and treatment. RESULTS: Based on guidelines on intervention strategies to manage child-teen obesity, we developed two patient/parent mobile applications, one web-monitoring service for medical staff, one mobile application for food-craving endurance, and one mobile application for medical examinations. CONCLUSIONS: The establishment of the integrated service platform was successfully completed; however, this study was restrictively to the hospital where the pilot program took place. The effectiveness of the proposed platform will be verified in the future in tests involving other organizations.