E-health beyond technology: analyzing the paradigm shift that lies beneath

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Philosophy of Medicine
• Digital Health

Background:

• E-health is increasingly vital in healthcare, often viewed as a disruptive innovation.
• Current medical focus is heavily on technological advancements in genetics and biology.
• The traditional curative/reactive medical paradigm faces challenges from aging populations and chronic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the changes in medicine driven by e-health and assess if they constitute a 'revolution'.
• To apply philosophical concepts of progress and revolution to understand medical change.
• To shift focus from e-health technology to the underlying paradigm shift in medicine.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis using works of Kuhn, Laudan, and Foucault.
• Examining the evolution from a curative to a preventive medicine paradigm.
• Applying the framework to the trend of digital self-tracking via health apps and wearables.

Main Results:

• E-health is integral to a new preventive medicine paradigm addressing modern healthcare challenges.
• A paradigm shift perspective offers a deeper understanding of e-health's impact than a technology-focused view.
• Digital self-tracking is better understood as part of this broader medical transformation.

Conclusions:

• The evolution towards preventive medicine, enabled by e-health, represents a significant paradigm shift.
• Understanding this shift is crucial for interpreting the role and impact of digital health tools.
• A philosophical lens provides a more comprehensive framework for analyzing medical innovation than a purely technological one.