Online therapy, remote care, telemedicine: eHealth is an integral part of modern living. eHealth is not only about technology. It also deals with connectivity, participation, and innovation in Health Care. Above all, it is a route to enhanced quality of Health Care and patient safety. Good education and training are crucial if progress is to be made in implementing eHealth. After all, today’s students are tomorrow's health care professionals. The University of Twente and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) jointly developed the first academic textbook on eHealth in The Netherlands. It will launch in The Hague October 15th. The first copy of Improving eHealth will be presented to Rien Meijerink MA, Chairman of the Council for Public Health and Health Care (RVZ).
Improving eHealth is based on recent research by scientists at
the University of Twente and RIVM. The textbook deals with the
theory and practice of designing, implementing and evaluating
technology in health care. How, for example, should you set up a
web portal if you want to make sure that patients actually use it?
Or, what design features are critical to the success of an eHealth
application?
To tie in with the textbook, an online knowledge platform –
eHealthwiki.org – has been created, with a utility for measuring
the effectiveness of eHealth resources. With its many examples of
good eHealth design, Improving eHealth has a wide range of
potential applications, in The Netherlands and abroad. It is
suitable for refresher courses in the health care sector and may
serve as an excellent reference work for university undergraduates
and master's students. It will also make a valuable resource
for professionals involved in eHealth implementation. Editor in
chief, dr. Lisette van Gemert-Pijnen, University of Twente (UT):
“Master's students Psychology, Public Administration Science or
Health Sciences at the UT are already using the book this academic
year. It is also being used at universities of applied sciences,
including InHolland, where it is a standard reference for the
master's programme Advanced Health Informatics Practice”.
Rien Meijerink will receive the first copy in recognition of his involvement in education, technology, and health care. Meijerink is currently Chairman of the Council for Public Health and Health Care (RVZ), advisor at the Dutch Institute for Public Administration (PBLQ HEC), and Chairman of ZonMw's eHealth Programme Committee. His previous roles include Secretary General at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Chairman of the Association of Universities in The Netherlands (VSNU), and Chairman of the Executive Board of the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam.
About the authors
Lisette van Gemert-Pijnen is Associate Professor of Psychology,
Health and Technology at the University of Twente as well as Head
of the Center for eHealth Research & Disease Management. She
leads the university's (international) eHealth research and
doctoral projects.
Hans C. Ossebaard is an eHealth expert affiliated with the RIVM and
the National Health Care Institute. He teaches and conducts
research into ePublic Health in collaboration with the University
of Twente's Center for eHealth Research and others.
Oscar Peters is Dean of Studies at the Faculty of Management and
Administration at the University of Twente. He regularly publishes
in scientific journals on the use and effects of (new) media and
ICT.
Further information
For further information, please contact Editor in Chief Lisette
van Gemert-Pijnen.
Review copies can be requested from the publisher, Boom Lemma, by
e-mailing info@boomlemma.nl.
Improving eHealth | JEWC van Gemert-Pijnen, O Peters & HC Ossebaard | ISBN 978-94-6236‐067‐9 | 2013, first impression | 140 pp | € 24.50. Also available as an e-book (ISBN 78-94-6094-781-0). Available to order here
Information for editors
Representatives of the press are welcome at the presentation and
informal reception on Tuesday October 15th, 2013 from 5 p.m.
(CEST), Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indië 334, The Hague. Please register
with Inge Valstar, Programme Secretary at ZonMw (valstar@zonmw.nl). After the
presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions to the
editors.