Spain - Information is Health Project

Citation

(2008), "Spain - Information is Health Project", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 21 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2008.06221bab.002

Spain - Information is Health Project

Article Type: News and views From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 21, Issue 2.

Europe, Middle East and Africa

SpainInformation is Health Project

Keywords: Healthcare access, Digital technology, Health information

The aim of the project is to develop a system that allows the general public to access multimedia healthcare information via different media such as Internet, 3G mobile phones, hospital television networks or Digital Television.

The focus is providing quality checked and validated healthcare information in an organised manner on demand.

It is an offer of products and services, mainly audiovisual that optimises all the capacities that the latest digital technologies offer including interactiveness.

It can reach different segments of the public creating specific channels, diversifying and specializing the contents and thus improving the efficiency of the processes.

The Andalusian Public Health System (APHS) works within and for full development of the “Second Modernization Strategy of Andalusia” as defined by the Andalusian Regional Government.

This modernization process projects towards convergence with the most advanced countries and regions in Europe using technological advances applied to the public sector to ensure e-inclusion and closure of the “digital divide”.

Along with the Andalusian Strategic Health Plan, the Second Quality Plan of the APHS (2005-2008) works towards and in line with the Second Modernization of Andalusia applied to the Healthcare Sector

The first strategic process of the Second Quality Plan is to “meet the needs and expectations of the citizens” defining a new framework of relations based on transparency, and active participation of the citizen through multiple channels.

In short, the project is about innovation and modernization of the system beyond the mere installation of new technologies. The objective is to convert the APHS into an excellent organisation where the intensive use of ICT’s, results in a better and more personalised service to the citizens.

This project is groundbreaking for its use of broadband digital technologies for distributing health content in the field of public health.

As well as conventional means of communication (necessary to contact with all the population) the project will have the latest transmission methods according to the needs detected (satellite TV, digital TV, fibre optic, 3G mobile phone etc.). Interactive possibilities that these different technologies allow are exploited for feedback in all the processes. First, of course it is the citizen who decides which content they want to see, but this information is then used to “publicise” the “most viewed videos”. As far as production of new content is concerned, this is also user driven in as much as new content is produced for themes that are most popular and receive more viewings. Citizens can also suggest and give ideas for new content. This is a pioneer initiative in bringing technology closer to the citizens.

It is not just about television, but an offer of products and services, mainly audiovisual, that optimises all the characteristics that the new digital technologies permit, including of course interactiveness. The platform is fully prepared for the switch from analogue to all digital TV which will soon be occurring in Spain. When this occurs the full range of interactivity can be quickly exploited.

With these new technologies it will be possible to reach the public in a segmented way, using specially created channels, diversifying and specializing the content and thus improving the efficiency of the processes.

The project plans to optimise television via IP, IPTV and mobile television (DVB-H, MediaFlo) which promise to become very popular service distribution platforms, displacing the existing systems and moving into areas where multimedia services have not yet become strongly emplaced.

For more information: www.epractice.eu/