ICT Health 2013 maps the use of information and communication technologies in health establishments

Survey by CETIC.br is conducted for the first time in Brazil with 1,685 health establishments and 4,180 doctors and nurses

The Center for Information and Communication Technologies Studies (CETIC.br), an entity of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br) and under the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br), releases this Tuesday (17) the results of the first edition of the ICT Health survey, conducted throughout 2013. The purpose of the study is to understand the stage of adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT) in health establishments in Brazil and the appropriation of these technologies by professionals in the sector.

The CETIC.br survey is the first in Brazil to adopt the survey model proposed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and is supported institutionally by the Ministry of Health, through the SUS Informatics Department (Datasus), the National Supplementary Health Agency (ANS), academics, and specialists in the sector. The results of ICT Health 2013 categorize four specific types of health establishments based on a definition by IBGE: establishments without hospitalization, establishments with hospitalization and up to 50 beds, establishments with hospitalization and more than 50 beds, and diagnostic and therapy support service establishments (SADT).

CETIC.br interviewed 1,685 managers of public and private health establishments across the national territory, as well as heard from 4,180 doctors and nurses linked to these establishments. Check out some highlights of the survey below:

ICT Infrastructure in Health Establishments

Computers are present in 94% of health establishments, while 91% of establishments have Internet access. Although the result indicates a substantial penetration of ICT, there is still a gap in computer and Internet access, mainly in organizations without hospitalization beds — responsible for basic and outpatient care.

• 6% of all health establishments did not use computers in the last 12 months. Among establishments without hospitalization, this number is 14%;

• 9% of establishments did not use the Internet in the last 12 months. Among establishments without hospitalization, this percentage reaches 20%;
• Fixed broadband is present in 96% of establishments with Internet access. 3G technology is also beginning to be part of the technological infrastructure of health establishments in Brazil and is already present in 28% of organizations that use the Internet.

 

ICT Health 2013 reveals that 41% of health establishments have an information technology (IT) department, and this structure is concentrated in organizations with more than 50 hospitalization beds (75% have an IT department).

Electronic Health Records and Telehealth

Among the patient data available electronically, the most present are administrative, such as registration and information regarding admission, transfer, and discharge of patients. Clinical information is less present in electronic media.

While 83% of establishments that used the Internet in the last twelve months reported having available the patient's registration data, only 21% have electronic information on vaccinations taken by the patient and 25% have images of radiological exams.

Regarding telehealth in Brazil, ICT Health data highlight the role of public organizations in developing health education actions and distance research activities.

• In establishments where this technology is already available, education and training are the main uses of teleconferencing tools among health professionals;
• 30% of public establishments with Internet have available distance education services in health and 24% have available distance research activities;
• 24% of public establishments with Internet participate in some telehealth network, while 8% of private ones with Internet declared being part of this type of network.

 

Use and Appropriation of ICT among Health Professionals

In addition to investigating health establishments, the survey heard from doctors and nurses to know details about access and use of information and communication technologies among these professionals.

• 99% of doctors and 97% of nurses have access to the Internet at home. The national average, according to the TIC Households 2012 survey by CGI.br, is 40% of Brazilian households with Internet access;
• 99% of doctors and nurses are Internet users, a significant result compared to the Brazilian population in general. The TIC Households 2012 survey shows that 49% of Brazilians aged 10 or older are Internet users;
• Among doctors, 63% have access to a computer at work and 60% to the Internet. Among nurses, 72% have access to a computer and the Internet;
• 60% of doctors with access to a computer at the workplace access diagnoses, problems, or health conditions of the patient, while 61% seek the main reasons that led the patient to the appointment or consultation.

 

Among the main barriers to the implementation and use of ICT in establishments are the lack of prioritization by public policies and insufficient training.

• 83% of doctors and 72% of nurses consider the lack of prioritization of public policies as a barrier that hinders or greatly hinders the implementation of ICT;

• 75% of doctors and 71% of nurses consider the lack of training as a factor that hinders or greatly hinders the implementation and use of systems;

• The lack of prioritization of the establishment's internal policies also appears as a relevant barrier for doctors (70%) and nurses (66%).

 

To access the complete indicators of the ICT Health 2013 survey visit: https://www.cetic.br.

About CETIC.br
The Center for Information and Communication Technologies Studies (CETIC.br) is responsible for producing indicators and statistics about the availability and use of the Internet in Brazil, disseminating periodic analysis and information on the development of the network in the country. More information at https://www.cetic.br/.

About the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee - CGI.br
The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee is responsible for establishing strategic guidelines related to the use and development of the Internet in Brazil, coordinating and integrating all Internet service initiatives in the country, promoting technical quality, innovation, and the dissemination of offered services. Based on principles of multilateralism, transparency, and democracy, CGI.br represents a multi-stakeholder governance model of the Internet with effective participation from all sectors of society in its decisions. One of its formulations is the 10 Principles for Internet Governance and Use (https://www.cgi.br/principios). More information at https://www.cgi.br/.   

About the Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br
The Brazilian Network Information Center — NIC.br (https://www.nic.br/) is a non-profit civil entity that implements the decisions and projects of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee. Permanent activities of NIC.br include coordinating the domain name registration — Registro.br (https://www.registro.br/), studying, responding, and handling security incidents in Brazil - CERT.br (https://www.cert.br/), studying and researching networking technologies and operations — CEPTRO.br (https://www.ceptro.br/), producing indicators on information and communication technologies — CETIC.br (https://www.cetic.br/) and hosting the W3C office in Brazil (https://www.w3c.br/).

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