Exploring a methodology for eHealth indicator development.

Abstract

Indicators provide a practical method to monitor and benchmark eHealth progress towards objectives set in local, national and international policies, and to offer evidence for eHealth management. There is no agreed methodology to develop and define these indicators. The purpose of this paper is to present a proposal for an indicator development methodology and indicator classification. This proposal combines expert-led top-down and community-based bottom-up approaches. It offers a holistic approach for developing indicators for measuring progress and impacts of eHealth development consisting of four phases: (1) defining the context for measurement, (2) defining the goal of measurement, (3) defining the methods for indicator selection and indicator categorization and (4) defining the data to be collected and analyzed to calculate the indicator. Our preliminary results will be used as a starting point for developing a more detailed description of methods for indicator development and for identifying and classifying eHealth indicators and on testing them in practice.