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How Global Is ‘e-Health’ and ‘Knowledge Translation’?

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Technology Enabled Knowledge Translation for eHealth

Part of the book series: Healthcare Delivery in the Information Age ((Healthcare Delivery Inform. Age))

Abstract

A major element of e-Health (the use of information and communications technology for health and health care) is the application of strategies and tools to support the dissemination of knowledge among health-care providers, patients and the general public. As such, e-Health would be expected to be recognized as a significant user of technology-enabled knowledge translation (TEKT). There is a perception that e-Health is global in its pervasiveness and is most successfully implemented when supported by knowledge translation (KT). Through a structured and focused literature review, this study gathered evidence to identify how pervasive e-Health is among the world’s 248 recognized countries, and how extensively KT is acknowledged as a tool to support introduction of sustainable e-Health solutions. Evidence for the presence of an e-Health-related activity within the last 15 years was found for all but 31 of the world’s 238 United Nations (UN) recognised countries (13%), most of which were island protectorates. While evidence of widespread recognition of KT was evident, overt association of KT with e-Health was identified in only two countries (Canada and the USA). Key findings emerging from this study were that e-Health can be considered ‘global’ in its pervasiveness, but that KT remains a recognized entity in only a limited number of countries. Further, the application KT is not essential for the introduction of e-Health solutions; however, implementing sustainable e-Health is best supported by linking and aligning KT with e-Health planning. These both raise the awareness of KT but, moreover, contribute to the body of evidence ­substantiating the utility and value of e-Health solutions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Kendall Ho for support of the initial concept for this study and also Carolann Hodgson, Allison Smith and Janessa Green for their support performing searches and data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Sciences Centre University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada

    Richard Scott Ph.D.

  2. Department of TeleHealth, University of KwaZulu Natal, 703 Umbilo Road, Durban, KwaZulu Natal, 4013, South Africa

    Maurice Mars MB., ChB., M.D. (Professor and Head)

  3. Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3rd Flr TRW Building, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada

    Marilynne Hebert Ph.D. (Associate Professor)

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  1. Richard Scott Ph.D.
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  2. Maurice Mars MB., ChB., M.D.
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  3. Marilynne Hebert Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Richard Scott Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, West 10th Ave. #202-855, Vancouver, V5Z 1L7, British Columbia, Canada

    Kendall Ho

  2. , eHealth Strategy Office, University of British Columbia, #202-855 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, V5Z 1L7, British Columbia, Canada

    Sandra Jarvis-Selinger

  3. , eHealth Strategy Office, University of British Columbia, #202-855 West 10th A, Vancouver, V5Z 1L7, British Columbia, Canada

    Helen Novak Lauscher

  4. , eHealth Strategy Office, University of British Columbia, #202-855 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, V5Z 1L7, British Columbia, Canada

    Jennifer Cordeiro

  5. , Health Sciences Centre, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Alberta, Canada

    Richard Scott

Key Messages

Key Messages

  • e-Health can be considered ‘global’ in its pervasiveness.

  • KT remains a recognized entity in only a limited number of countries.

  • Application of the concept known as KT is not essential for introduction of e-Health solutions.

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Scott, R., Mars, M., Hebert, M. (2012). How Global Is ‘e-Health’ and ‘Knowledge Translation’?. In: Ho, K., Jarvis-Selinger, S., Novak Lauscher, H., Cordeiro, J., Scott, R. (eds) Technology Enabled Knowledge Translation for eHealth. Healthcare Delivery in the Information Age. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3495-5_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3495-5_20

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-3494-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-3495-5

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