Toward successful eHealth adoption in long-term care: Insights from a national survey of healthcare professionals

Objective: The use of eHealth holds promise for addressing current and upcoming challenges in long-term care (LTC), but implementation is not always successful. To optimize eHealth deployment in LTC, we aim to identify: (1) which eHealth applications are currently (not) used by healthcare professionals (HCPs) in LTC and their respective resident groups; (2) the perceived value of these eHealth applications in LTC; and (3) the drivers behind HCPs willingness and motivation to adopt eHealth technologies in their practice.

Methods: In total, 273 HCPs from LTC in The Netherlands completed an online survey. Items from the Autonomy and Competence in Technology Adoption Questionnaire were used to calculate motivation scores.

Results: The majority of HCPs believed that eHealth is or could be of added value in LTC. Applications such as websites, video calling, and electronic patient records were highly valued, whereas robotics and virtual reality were most frequently left unused due to a lack of knowledge on how to use these products. An average relative autonomy index score of 4.3 indicated autonomous motivation of HCPs to use eHealth, as opposed to being externally pressured.

Conclusion: HCPs in LTC are positive and motivated to use eHealth. However, several eHealth applications remain underutilized due to barriers such as limited knowledge or poor information and communication technology infrastructure. To optimize eHealth adoption, LTC organizations must address these challenges while continuing to support and educate HCPs. By doing so, the right eHealth products can be optimally used in LTC, which may contribute to sustainable LTC.