ABSTRACT
Electronic Health (eHealth) is the use of technologies in healthcare, including treatment, health promotion, monitoring and disease prevention. Its introduction in the primary medical care will facilitate the work of the general practitioner, increase the quality of the offered health services and compensate the shortage of health specialists. The aim of this overview was to analyze the current state of eHealth in the practice of general practitioners in Bulgaria. Material and methods. A search was conducted in the databases of PubMed, ScienceDirect Database, Google Scholar, SpringerLink, as well as in the official websites of various governmental and non-governmental institutions. It was organized from November 1, 2020, to January 31, 2021, by key words: “eHealth” and “general practitioners” or “family doctors”. Results. An overview of existing sources was made. The advantages and benefits of the application of eHealth in the practice of general practitioners in a number of European countries and in Bulgaria were studied. The opportunities it offers in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic were analyzed. The existing limitations and obstacles for its successful implementation in Bulgaria were considered. Conclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development and implementation of eHealth not only in Bulgaria. Examples of technology entering the practice of general practitioners are common in most European countries. This is most often seen in the context of implementing health reform, introducing new and innovative models for health care delivery and offering effective methods for accessing and exchanging health information. © 2021, Central Medical Library Medical University – Sofia. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Primary care is the basis of numerous attempts and initiatives applied in health reforms in recent years. One of them is the introduction of e-health, which will not only facilitate the work of the general practitioners (GPs) and increase the quality of the offered health services but also protects the environment because it reduces the amount of used medical supplies that require specialised disposal. The aim of the present study is to examine the attitudes towards the application of e-health among GPs in Bulgaria. 381 GPs participated in our study voluntarily, anonymously and without preselection. Most of the respondents knew what the term "e-health" included. GPs work in conditions of partially introduced e-health. They were interested in its application and were ready to actively participate in its development and final implementation in their practice. Around half of the surveyed GPs feared legal regulation (49.6%), followed by difficulties in using technology (47.5%), as well as lack of technical knowledge (35.4%). Less than 1/3 were afraid of misuse of personal information (28.9%). E-health has significant potential to address many of the challenges facing primary care in today's healthcare environment. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development and implementation of e-health not only in Bulgaria.