Adhering to the Core Goals of Healthcare in Digital Health
Digital health is the establishment of a digital infrastructure for effective, efficient, and safe healthcare services. This book has been prepared with this fundamental perspective in mind. The healthcare ecosystem is very complex. Although the physician is considered the primary actor in healthcare, there are numerous individuals and factors that influence it.
In the rapidly evolving field of digital health, all stakeholders are asking the following questions:
- What, how much, and how should I learn?
- Who should I work with on this project?
- With whom should I learn and implement this?
All digital applications must demonstrate that the objectives of healthcare delivery have been achieved. Healthcare performance metrics include:
Patient-Centeredness
-Access
-On time
-Equality
-Effectiveness / Health Outcome
-Productivity
-Security
-Equitable
-Financial Protection
-Sustainability
-Quality
The objectives, explanations, and questions to be answered for each of these are explained below. Health delivery objectives, explanations, and questions to be answered:
- Patient-Centered Approach: Respecting an individual's values, preferences, and needs.
-Are patients involved in the decision-making processes?
-Are satisfaction and experience measurements being taken?
-Is personalized care provided? - Access: Access to healthcare without physical, geographical, or financial barriers.
-Are there geographical/financial barriers to accessing services?
-Is it difficult to reach the appointment?
-Are transportation and language barriers being considered? - On time: Eliminating unnecessary waiting and delays. How long does it take for patients to receive service?
-Are the appointment and procedure times reasonable?
-Is the response time to emergencies sufficient? - Effectiveness / Health Outcome: Implementing effective treatments based on current scientific evidence.
-Are the treatments and procedures being applied evidence-based? To what extent are clinical guidelines being followed?
- Are health outcomes (e.g., recovery rate) being monitored? - Productivity: Using resources in a way that avoids waste and provides the best possible outcome.
- Are workforce and resources being used optimally? Are repetitive tests and procedures being avoided?
- Do digital systems simplify processes? - Trustworthy: Providing healthcare services without causing harm to patients.
-Are patients exposed to unnecessary risks?
-How do we prevent mistakes?
-Is our incident reporting system effective? - Equitable: Providing services without discrimination based on gender, socioeconomic status, region, or ethnicity.
- Do all patients have access to the same quality of service?
-Are health inequalities being monitored and reduced?
-Are there specific strategies for vulnerable groups? - Financial Protection: Access to healthcare services should not impose devastating financial burdens on individuals; access to services should not be restricted due to economic hardship.
-Is access to healthcare putting a strain on household budgets?
-What is the level of out-of-pocket healthcare spending?
-Are households becoming poorer due to healthcare costs?
-Yıkıcı sağlık harcamaları oranı nedir (gelirin %10’undan fazlası)?
-Is the service funded fairly (taxes, social security, etc.)? Is there any financial support or exemption system for vulnerable groups? - Sustainability: Ensuring the long-term sustainability of service delivery at the current quality and scope.
- Do you have sufficient human and financial resources?
-Is the service model sustainable in the long term?
-Are future patient demands and workloads being taken into consideration? - Quality: Providing health services that are evidence-based, effective, safe, timely, patient-centered, and equitable; improving health outcomes.
-Is the service offered clinically effective and evidence-based?
-Is it safe for patients?
- How sensitive are they to the needs and expectations of patients?
-Is the presentation process on time and without delay?
-Is it offered equally to all individuals?
-Is patient experience and feedback taken into account in service processes?
-Are health outcomes (survival, complication rate, etc.) continuously monitored and evaluated?
As observed, they are all related to the quality of healthcare services. And they are all provided by a highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce.
Prof. Dr. Diler Aslan
May 23, 2025
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