EuroRec2006 LaurenceEsterle

Implementing national EHR strategies in Europe: organisational, social and political issues: 

Implementing national EHR strategies in Europe: organisational, social and political issues Laurence ESTERLE, MD,PhD INSERM U 750 ‘Medicine, Sciences, Health & Society’ Villejuif – France

Implementing national EHR strategies in Europe: organisational, social and political issues: 

Implementing national EHR strategies in Europe: organisational, social and political issues 1. New topics for Eurorec ? 2. Main issues and research topics 3. Next steps

Implementing national EHR strategies in Europe: organisational, social and political issues: 

Implementing national EHR strategies in Europe: organisational, social and political issues 1. New topics for Eurorec ?

National EHR Implementation: 

National EHR Implementation A radical innovation facing: Numerous technological issues But also political, organisational and social issues Possible failures because of non-technical issues Social, cultural and organisational challenges at the core of EHR adoption Failures due to limited knowledge or consideration for these issues

National EHR Implementation: 

National EHR Implementation A socio-technical innovation Requires management of change at all levels & dimensions

Organisational, social and political issues: New topics for Eurorec ?: 

Organisational, social and political issues: New topics for Eurorec ? European dimension Many European countries already engaged Lack of experience sharing and best practice exchanges Eurorec scope and goals Dissemination of information based on European experiences Organisational, cultural and social issues Complementary with existing projects : Q-Req project RIDE roadmap

Implementing national EHR strategies in Europe: organisational, social and political issues: 

Implementing national EHR strategies in Europe: organisational, social and political issues 2. Main issues and research topics

National EHR implementation: Political issues: 

National EHR implementation: Political issues Strategy: Political vision Political decision Management at the political level Dynamic & very complex process Introduction of a major innovation Many actors involved Many changes during the process

National EHR implementation: Research topics on political issues: 

National EHR implementation: Research topics on political issues Governance of the system Decision process Institutional design Actors involved Funding mechanisms & financial models Accompanying legal and regulatory measures

National EHR implementation: Organisational issues: 

National EHR implementation: Organisational issues Impact on the National Healthcare system and its organisation Changes in the healthcare practices Changes in the role of the actors

National EHR implementation: Research topics on organisational issues : 

National EHR implementation: Research topics on organisational issues Management of organisational change Involvement and participation of users: health professionals citizens

National EHR implementation: Social issues: 

National EHR implementation: Social issues Potential conflict with cultural or social values, eg: Radical cultural change of healthcare tools Change in respective roles of health professionals & patients Empowerment of patients and citizens

National EHR implementation: Research topics on social issues: 

National EHR implementation: Research topics on social issues Identification of controversies User acceptance and/or resistance

Implementation of national EHRs strategy: Organisational, social and political issues: 

Implementation of national EHRs strategy: Organisational, social and political issues 3. Next steps

Next steps:National and European level: 

Next steps: National and European level For decision makers: Encouragement & funding of studies and projects on social aspects of EHR implementation Experience sharing and benchmarking of best practices between Member states For researchers Development & reinforcement of a scientific community at the European level Research projects and studies Dissemination of expertise to decision makers

Next steps:Eurorec level: 

Next steps:Eurorec level Consideration and prioritization of social aspects Participation to research projects e.g. EHR-IMPLEMENT Establishment of a working group associating technical and social researchers

Conclusions: 

Conclusions A real need exists for studying social, political and organisational aspects This need should not be underestimated in National EHR implementation strategies A lot can be learnt from social sciences “Adopting an innovation means adapting it” Michel Callon

Thank you: 

Thank you “No success, no social acceptability without participation, without representation of actors, of innovators, of producers, of intermediaries, of political authorities and of end users” Michel Callon