10 Chapter 1 1 Digital transformation The current Dutch healthcare system is facing many challenges due to an aging population, increased prevalence of chronic diseases and advancements in medical treatment and technology placing a strain on the system in terms of finances and workforce shortages (1). To address the challenges, ‘Het Integraal Zorgakkoord’ (2023 -2026) (ENG: Integrated Care Agreement) was recently established in the Netherlands. This agreement, signed by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and a large number of parties in the Dutch healthcare sector aims to ensure the availability, affordability, accessibility, and appropriateness of healthcare both in the present and in the future. An important pilar within the agreement centres around the use and integration of eHealth within the digital transformation of healthcare. eHealth refers to the delivery or enhancement of health services and information through the internet and related technologies (2). As such, eHealth steers away from the traditional healthcare provision and offers alternative and innovative ways in providing healthcare, including remote and digital care. Originally introduced in 1999 as a term referring to internet-based medicine which provides information on symptoms and treatments, eHealth has since evolved with the introduction of It is Wednesday morning, May 26th 2020. The country has been in lockdown already for two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Libraries are closed, and the social distancing measure is in effect everywhere. Vulnerable elderly individuals need to be extra protected, and it is advised not to visit grandparents. Social life has come to a standstill. This also holds true for 63-year-old Mrs. V from Leiden. Her weekly bridge club is closed, and she has no family left. With only a landline, she feels disconnected from the outside world. As she looks at the local morning newspaper, an article catches her attention. It is about a local initiative called 'Blijf in Beeld’ (ENG: ‘Stay in Touch'). This initiative offers free smartphones to elderly villagers, donated by members from the community. Loneliness has been gnawing at her for weeks, growing stronger by the day. With the traumatic memory of a previous hacking incident still fresh in her mind, Mrs. V decides that it is time that she stops avoiding digital devices. She picks up the phone and dials the number listed at the bottom of the article. *** This is the story of a 65-year-old woman who, after weeks of loneliness, feeling physically and digitally isolated from the rest of the world, decided to reach out to the founder of the 'Stay in Touch' initiative to obtain a smartphone. A volunteer, a digital buddy, listened to her fears and anxieties regarding all things digital. The buddy helped her become familiar with her new mobile phone and provided the necessary guidance. Although, smartphones and digital tools seem commonplace, it turns out to be a completely different world for some people. A world that threatens to alienate them, if we are not careful.
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