ECDL Health in Italy

1. ECDL Health in Italy Fulvia Sala AICA Italy

2. Motivation, problem area • Major role of health informatics systems • Systems as good as their users’ understanding • Experienced health professionals educated • ahead of the e health revolution • Amount of time specifically dedicated to IT use: • < 20% of total time • perceived as an “ accessory” activity

3. Development of a specific module for ECDL Motivation, problem area • Elements of risks • new abilities • new legal and ethical issues • Need for an appropriate end user educational programme and qualification framework ECDL: international standard in end user computer skills

4. Progress in different countries: • different health systems, languages, terminology ECDL Health Development of a specific module for ECDL: • In 2005: set up of an expert group • ( six european countries + USA) • In early 2006: syllabus of ECDL/ICDL health supplement • syllabus= competencies framework

5. The Italian experience In Italy: preliminary planning of the initiative • Research project ( AICA and Bocconi University) • to measure the potential benefits of ICT training in the healthcare sector

6. The Italian experience: the preliminary survey • The survey’s sample: • around one hundred health organizations and hospitals • 1000 general practitioners • 500 pharmacies

7. 45% of employees make use of ICT but half of the users are administrative personnel The Italian experience: the preliminary survey The survey’s primary findings: In hospitals/ health care organizations • users of individual IT instruments amount to around 250,000 • butonly 7% of these claim to be expert users

8. The Italian experience: the preliminary survey The survey’s primary findings: General practitioners • generalised use of PCs • some contradictory aspects in the ways the systems are used: • wide usage of internet • mostly specific applications

9. The Italian experience: the preliminary survey The survey’s primary findings: General practitioners • lack of adequate training • most experienced professionals educated in a paper based environment • 80% of them didn’t have access to digital literacy programmes

10. The Italian experience: the preliminary survey Unproductive time due to limited knowledge significant costs

11. The Italian experience: the preliminary survey Evaluation of the cost: • by estimating the average loss of time ( interviews to users) • by taking into account the average labour cost

12. How can investments in ICT training contribute to reduce the cost? The Italian experience: the preliminary survey Annual cost of unproductiveness for the Italian system: ≈ 900 million euro ≈ 1% of total health expenditure

13. The Italian experience: the preliminary survey The test for evaluating R.O.I for basic ICT training

14. annual recovery of costs per individual: around € 4,000 • total annual recovery in the health system: over 2billion€ The Italian experience: the preliminary survey Major findings of the test: • after the course: decrease of the unproductive • time by around 20% • a broad indicator of the level of potential ROI

15. The Italian experience: the pilot courses In June 2007 AICA announced ECDL Health in Italy • Two pilots ECDL Health training courses: • addressed to medical doctors and nurses • of two Local Healthcare Units.

16. The Italian experience: the pilot courses The participants’ evaluations : achievement of expected objectives

17. The Italian experience: the pilot courses The participants’ evaluations : perceived usefulness of ECDL Health

18. ECDL Health a valid answer to such a need • validation of technical competences • evaluation of the level of ability in the use • of health informatics systems Conclusion and outlook • demand for health personnel training with regards • to the use of ICT within clinical process • balance between a high tech perspective • and a high touch one