Using HIT to deliver integrated care for the frail elderly in the UK: current barriers and future challenges

Waterson, P., Eason, K., Tutt, D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9216-8617 and Dent, M. (2012) Using HIT to deliver integrated care for the frail elderly in the UK: current barriers and future challenges. Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation, 41 (Supplement). pp. 4490-4493. ISSN 1051-9815 doi: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0750-4490 (IEA 2012: 18th World Congress on Ergonomics - Designing a sustainable future)

Abstract/Summary

In this paper we briefly describe the results of a 3 year project examining the use of Health Information Technologies (e.g., electronic patient record systems) to deliver integrated care. In particular, we focus on one group of patient (the frail elderly) and efforts to design an e-health supported healthcare pathway (the frail elderly pathway – FEP). The aim of FEP is to bring together clinicians and staff from health and social care and allow them to share patient information. Our findings show that progress in delivering a fully-supported and working FEP has been slow, not least because of the difficulties experienced by healthcare staff in using current IT systems. In addition, there are many strategic and technical issues which remain unresolved (e.g., systems interoperability).