Governance of e-health: models and strategies to obtain health policy goals Implementation capacity in a multi-stakeholder environment

Description

The project "Governance of e-health: models and strategies to obtain health policy goals Implementation capacity in a multi-stakeholder environment" is a research project that aims to strengthen knowledge governance of and in e-health. The domain includes various actors both nationally and internationally

The project aim to explore and analyze how the Norwegian Governance Model in E-health (NEGM) balances a multi-stakeholder environment on different levels in order to realize health policy goals. In the Norwegian National E-health Strategy, governance and increased implementation capacity are one of six priority areas. https://ehelse.no/strategi/nasjonal-e-helsestrategi-og-handlingsplan-2017-2022.

The authorities have established NEGM in line with the policy adopted by the Parliament in the White Paper “One Citizen One Journal” Meld. St. 9 (2012-2013). NEGM governs the national e-health portfolio with various national and regional e-health projects. The Directorate of e-Health is the secretariat of the Board. NEGM governs through co-management and consensus.

Goals

This project explores and analyses how NEGM functions as a governance model for the management of implementation of the national e-health policy. There exists little knowledge on governance models in e-health (Husereau D et al 2016) and how existent models contribute to the implementation capacity in e-health. This project will develop knowledge on the governance and prioritization of e-health activities and projects that take place nationally and regionally.

The main goal of this PhD is to contribute to:

1. a systematic review of governance models in e-health, conceptualisation and proposals for improving governance in e-health
2. to develop the concept of governance and new forms of governance in e-health.

The project will answer these three research questions:

RQ1: What are the characteristics and experiences of governance models in e-health and how do they contribute to implementation capacity?

RQ2: How is governance of e-health modernisation played out through NEGM in Norway?

RQ3: How do the governance enactments in Norway, characteristics and experiences in e-health and political science theories contribute to develop the concept of governance?

Method

The analysis is carried out using political science theories in management (metagovernance and multi-level governance), document analysis, knowledge summary, observation in meetings and semi-structured interviews.

The first article in the PhD has been published as a qualitative systematic review. It is the first answer to question 1. Further analyses will elaborate on this question and the other two.

"Elaborating Models of eHealth Governance: Qualitative Systematic Review." https://www.jmir.org/2020/10/e17214/

The next two articles will mainly answer research questions 2 and 3.

Conclusion

The knowledge from this project aims to contribute to strengthening:

1. knowledge of governance of and in e-health in Norway
2. e-health as a domian within Health Technology Assessment (HTA).

Papers from the project will be presented at arenas organised by Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi).

The project is funded by the Norwegian Centre for e-Healthresearch. The PhD candidate is affiliated with UiT Norway's Arctic University at the Department of Community Medicine.

The PhD candidate is a member of the research group "Governance and governance" at UiT.https://en.uit.no/forskning/forskningsgrupper/gruppe?p_document_id=344302

Main supervisor is:

Assistant Professor Anne Helen Hansen, at the Department of Community Medicine, The Arctic University of Norway, UiT

Co-supervisors:

Professor Anne Moen at the Institute of Health and Society, UiO

Professor Hilde Bjørnå ved Institute of Political Science, UiT

Director Kari Kværner at C3 Centre for Connected Care, Oslo University Hospital and Professor II at BI