Distinguishing between “truthful and false promises”

Published: 07/21/2010

MADRID, SPAIN - (HealthTech Wire / ProJour) – At the beginning of the year, Barcelona hosted the eHealth Week 2010, where Spain presented itself as a HealthTech-savvy nation. HealthTech Wire talked to Elena Escala-Saenz, chief editor at Diario Médico, to learn more about the Spanish healthcare market and how companies should address it through their communications.

“Doctors and managers are convinced of the need to incorporate new technologies. However, they need evidence,” says Escala-Saenz. “Managers need evidence that ICT improves productivity and reduces costs, and physicians need evidence that ICT betters their clinical practice without causing a reduction of their autonomy and independence - and without increasing management’s control over their work.”  

In Spain there is a broad consensus on the benefits of the digitization of the healthcare system - electronic medical records, electronic prescriptions, telemedicine and systems for monitoring patients are among the technological solutions implemented throughout the Spanish regions. However, the level of eHealth and other technology implementations differs significantly among the Spanish regions, a fact that needs to be considered in everyday communications, according to Escala-Saenz.

“Although there are common criteria which have to be met by every region, every community has the autonomy to implement the technological tools it deems appropriate according to their economic capacity and management. This leads to differences and disadvantages for professionals and patients, and how health issues are communicated will depend on these differences: if doctors and specialists do not have the right technology in their area, they will not understand what companies are trying to communicate,” explains Escala-Saenz.

Only those companies willing to invest time and resources in understanding, educating and training the market will be able to successfully address those healthcare professionals not yet using technology. The key is to eliminate any doubts about the cost-effectiveness of HealthTech which could delay the validation of these tools.  

Evidence or marketing?

Like everywhere else, Spanish healthcare professionals have trouble distinguishing between information that is based on evidence and information that is based on marketing.

“Companies and institutions must learn to communicate in a transparent, clear and concise way and, above all, without manipulation: they need to recognize what they know and what they do not know, what they can say and what they cannot say,” suggests Escala-Saenz.

Her job, she says, is to help readers distinguish between truthful and false promises. Diario Médico and Diariomedico.com target physicians and researchers with content based on information from scientific journals, physicians, technology and research units in hospitals, universities as well as public authorities. Escala-Saenz and her team help translate this information so that it can be understood by all professionals, regardless of their medical specialty. According to the criteria of objectivity, independence and credibility, all information is tested and validated.

Escala-Saenz: “We must disregard any stories with only a single source and we should avoid raising any unnecessary concerns about health and well-being. Vague and sensational language must be avoided and the benefits of technology need to be properly assessed without exaggeration or simplification.”

Diario Médico focuses on technologies that can be immediately integrated into the workflow and clinical practice - as well as on upcoming innovations that can make a difference in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Escala-Saenz admits that translating and communicating information of this nature is not always easy – but it is fascinating.

“I have the opportunity to learn something new every day and I can help physicians and researchers to communicate and disseminate their work, which, despite being of such high relevance to all of us, quite often remains hidden in laboratories and offices,” she says. “Technology is an ally that helps healthcare professionals do their job better.”

###

Source: HealthTech Wire

HealthTech Wire's ProJour facilitates the exchange of know-how to support the effective provision of quality information from industry and government sources.

© so2say communications. All rights reserved.