The Journal of mHealth Vol 1 Issue 3 (June 2014) | Page 3

Editor's Comments Welcome The proliferation of digital and mobile technologies within healthcare is becoming more and more widespread as the industry moves to accept these solutions as part of everyday working practice. Despite this, however, there remains a considerable number of barriers that seem to continue to prevent the wider scale adoption and deployment of digital solutions. As our regular readers will know, we frequently publish reports and news articles that detail the successes of different digital health trials, from which it is easy to see the benefits of solutions in those particular circumstances. What we currently rarely seem to see, however, is reports of these types of solutions being adopted at scale. Published by Simedics Limited www.simedics.org There are numerous reasons for this. Integration with IT (and other solutions) is often problematic, the need to accept new methods of working can sometimes be resisted by staff, or cultural change within organisations is often slow to happen. For editorial, research and paper submissions, and advertising opportunities please contact: Matthew Driver [email protected] [phone] We must accept that technology should not just be implemented for technologies sake. There must be tangible benefits to the way care is provided in order for a solution to be used. Equally, that solution should facilitate the care process and the working practices of care providers without introducing additional burdens. The way this should be achieved is to develop flexible, integrated, intelligent, solutions that can empower the end user. In patient solutions this may mean giving them the ability to take a greater responsibility for the monitoring and management of their condition, whilst also providing them with new ways of interacting with the different stakeholders involved with their care. For healthcare professionals it should mean providing them with solutions that compliment care provision, and which allow them new ways of working, so that they are supported by the technology, meaning they can do more with less, or provide services in improved or different ways. Editor: Matthew Driver Design: Jennifer Edwards Subscribe at www.thejournalofmhealth.com The editor welcomes contributions for The Journal of mHealth. Submissions can be sent to the Editor by email, images and graphics should be submitted in high resolution format. We hope you enjoy reading! The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily shared by the editors nor publishers. Although the highest level of care has been taken to ensure accuracy the publishers do not accept any liability for omissions or errors or claims made by contributors or advertisers, neither do we accept liability for damage or loss of unsolicited contributions. The publishers excercise the right to alter and edit any material supplied. This publication is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in part or in full without specific written permission of the publishers. Matthew Driver ISSN 2055-270X © 2014 Simedics Limited Considering some of these barriers to adoption from a variety of different perspectives, we include in this issue thought-leadership articles from clinicians, digital solution providers, and industry leaders - eHealth: Accelerating Towards a Healthy Future (by Neelie Kroes Vice-President of the European Commission for Digital Agenda). As well as featuring case studies that consider the digital adoption question in the context of particular system deployments. Editor The Journal of mHealth 1