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. 2024 May 2:26:e49910.
doi: 10.2196/49910.

IT-Related Barriers and Facilitators to the Implementation of a New European eHealth Solution, the Digital Survivorship Passport (SurPass Version 2.0): Semistructured Digital Survey

Ismay A E de Beijer  1 , Selina R van den Oever  1 , Eliana Charalambous  2   3 , Giorgio Cangioli  2 , Julia Balaguer  4 , Edit Bardi  5   6 , Marie Alfes  7 , Adela Cañete Nieto  4 , Marisa Correcher  8 , Tiago Pinto da Costa  7 , Alexander Degelsegger-Márquez  9 , Vanessa Düster  10 , Anna-Liesa Filbert  11 , Desiree Grabow  11 , Gerald Gredinger  9 , Hannah Gsell  7 , Riccardo Haupt  12 , Maria van Helvoirt  13 , Ruth Ladenstein  5   10   14 , Thorsten Langer  15 , Anja Laschkolnig  9 , Monica Muraca  12 , Saskia M F Pluijm  1 , Jelena Rascon  16   17 , Günter Schreier  18 , Zuzana Tomášikova  7 , Florian Trauner  9 , Justas Trinkūnas  16 , Kathrin Trunner  9 , Anne Uyttebroeck  13 , Leontien C M Kremer  1   19   20 , Helena J H van der Pal #  1 , Catherine Chronaki #  2 ; PanCareSurPass Consortium  21
Collaborators, Affiliations

IT-Related Barriers and Facilitators to the Implementation of a New European eHealth Solution, the Digital Survivorship Passport (SurPass Version 2.0): Semistructured Digital Survey

Ismay A E de Beijer et al. J Med Internet Res. .

Abstract

Background: To overcome knowledge gaps and optimize long-term follow-up (LTFU) care for childhood cancer survivors, the concept of the Survivorship Passport (SurPass) has been invented. Within the European PanCareSurPass project, the semiautomated and interoperable SurPass (version 2.0) will be optimized, implemented, and evaluated at 6 LTFU care centers representing 6 European countries and 3 distinct health system scenarios: (1) national electronic health information systems (EHISs) in Austria and Lithuania, (2) regional or local EHISs in Italy and Spain, and (3) cancer registries or hospital-based EHISs in Belgium and Germany.

Objective: We aimed to identify and describe barriers and facilitators for SurPass (version 2.0) implementation concerning semiautomation of data input, interoperability, data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity.

Methods: IT specialists from the 6 LTFU care centers participated in a semistructured digital survey focusing on IT-related barriers and facilitators to SurPass (version 2.0) implementation. We used the fit-viability model to assess the compatibility and feasibility of integrating SurPass into existing EHISs.

Results: In total, 13/20 (65%) invited IT specialists participated. The main barriers and facilitators in all 3 health system scenarios related to semiautomated data input and interoperability included unaligned EHIS infrastructure and the use of interoperability frameworks and international coding systems. The main barriers and facilitators related to data protection or privacy and cybersecurity included pseudonymization of personal health data and data retention. According to the fit-viability model, the first health system scenario provides the best fit for SurPass implementation, followed by the second and third scenarios.

Conclusions: This study provides essential insights into the information and IT-related influencing factors that need to be considered when implementing the SurPass (version 2.0) in clinical practice. We recommend the adoption of Health Level Seven Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources and data security measures such as encryption, pseudonymization, and multifactor authentication to protect personal health data where applicable. In sum, this study offers practical insights into integrating digital health solutions into existing EHISs.

Keywords: SurPass, eHealth; Survivorship Passport; cancer survivors; information and technology; long-term follow up care; pediatric oncology; survivorship.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

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