The adoption of information technology in healthcare has faced challenges worldwide. Compared with other data-intensive service sectors, healthcare has been slower to see rapid, tangible results from IT. Nevertheless, the shift is under way across healthcare and care services, the authors write. Through the textbook, they aim to share practical experience of digitalising healthcare, including lessons learned from setbacks, and explain the benefits digitalisation can bring to the field.

“For 20 years, Estonia has been a world leader in making use of digital health data. Our textbook places Estonia among the world’s leading countries in the scientific study and teaching of e-health — and does so in our own language,” said Peeter Ross, the textbook’s editor and Professor of Digital Health at TalTech. He noted that the book is intended for TalTech’s master’s students in digital health, as well as doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals whose education it will support at the University of Tartu and healthcare colleges. The Estonian-language material will also help standardise terminology in the field.

The textbook brings together the teaching and research experience of TalTech’s Centre for Digital Health. It covers health data, healthcare information systems, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and the conditions needed to introduce e-health solutions. It also explores how healthcare and IT professionals can work together effectively towards shared goals.

Based at TalTech’s Department of Health Technologies, the Centre for Digital Health researches the digitalisation of healthcare and develops the knowledge needed to use digital solutions in healthcare and social care. The textbook was published with support from the Ministry of Education and Research’s programme for creating Estonian-language higher education textbooks.

The textbook will be presented at TalTech’s Researchers’ Night event at Mektory (Raja 15) on Friday, 25 September.