eHealth in geriatric rehabilitation: an international consensus study

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Rehabilitation
• eHealth Applications
• Healthcare Technology

Background:

• Limited current evidence exists on eHealth integration within geriatric rehabilitation settings.
• eHealth adoption in geriatric care requires standardized approaches for effective implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• Achieve international consensus on eHealth use, domains, and scientific evaluation in geriatric rehabilitation.
• Develop a model to understand eHealth implementation in geriatric rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A two-round international Delphi study involving 80 healthcare professionals from 10 countries.
• Statements were developed from systematic reviews, surveys, and expert opinions.
• Consensus building focused on the use, domains, and scientific evaluation of eHealth.

Main Results:

• Initial consensus achieved on 20 out of 28 statements (71%) in round one.
• Following revisions, round two achieved consensus on 26 statements in total.
• Consensus covered eHealth use (3 statements), domains (5 statements), and scientific evaluation (18 statements).

Conclusions:

• International consensus was established for eHealth use, domains, and scientific evaluation in geriatric rehabilitation.
• This consensus provides a foundation for reliable knowledge generation and consistent eHealth implementation.
• The findings will guide the development, implementation, and evaluation of eHealth in geriatric rehabilitation.