International eHealth ecosystems and the quest for the winning value proposition: findings from a survey study

Abstract

Background: eHealth ecosystems are becoming increasingly important for national and international healthcare. In such ecosystems, different actors are connected and work together to create mutual value. However, it is important to be aware of the goals that each actor pursues within the ecosystem. Method: This study describes the outcomes of a workshop (30 participants) and two surveys (completed by 54 and 100 participants), which investigated how different types of industry stakeholders, namely social services, healthcare, technology developers and researchers, rated potential value propositions for an eHealth ecosystem. Both the feasibility and the importance of each proposition was taken into account. Results: Interoperability between services was highly valued across industry types but there were also vast differences concerning other propositions. Conclusion: Jointly reflecting on the different perceived values of an ehealth ecosystem can help actors working together to form an ecosystem.