eHealth and the need for education in biomedical and health informatics for the physicians in Bulgaria

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: eHealth applications are numerous: electronic health records, evidence-based prac-tice, delivering care from a distance, patient self-care, epidemiological research, healthcare management activities etc. However, the effective provision of healthcare as appropriate for the eHealth environment, needs not only suitable buildings and modern medical equipment, it also needs adequately trained health-care staff. The aim of this study is to assess the readiness and the willingness of Bulgarian physicians to work in an eHealth environment and to give a reason for their still present necessity of education in biomedical and health informatics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An enquiry was carried out in 2013 among the physicians in Bulgaria aiming at the assessment of their knowledge of using computers in their daily medical practice, their atti-tude to eHealth and their readiness to work in an eHealth environment. RESULTS: The results of the study showed the positive attitude of Bulgarian physicians to information technologies (97%) and their recognized need of using computers in medicine (91.9%). Although 77.49% de-clared that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to use computers, the study proved that this is just basic computer literacy (word-processing and Internet). About half of the respondents recognize the need of additional education: databases and medical information systems (37.64%), graphics software (40.59%), statistical software (47.98%), specialized medical software (48.34%). The majority of the participants (86%) wish to personally use computers in their daily medical practice, yet only 38.4% of them wish to enter pa-tient data into a computer by themselves. In fact, only 17.7% are aware of the principles of eHealth. CONCLUSIONS: Adequate education in biomedical and health informatics is one of the most important prerequisites for the successful implementation of eHealth in Bulgaria.