Table 1 Results of a literature search, by investment and distance to a care process, for expert opinion on relevance (quality, efficiency and sustainability of hospital care)

Large distance to patient care (concerning hospital and its surroundings financial functions, analytics (not patient level))

• Beacon community program to improve nation’s health care

• (2) Infection control knowledge management

• (1) Full-text search engine for using narrative data in electronic health records

• (2) Antiviral information management system

• (2) National-level connectivity Electronic Patient File (EPF)

• Biased sample hospital-based area disease estimation

• Electronic systems to collect client-level vaccination data

• Performance improvement systems

• (3) Performance management systems

• Visual diagrammatic language techniques to analyze work processes

• Electronic logistics information systems

• (2) Programming model to support operating room planning

• Administrative IT

Medium distance to patient care (concerning the professional and the hospital organization)

• (3) Interorganisational Electronic Health Record (Regional)

• eReferrals to specialists

• (1) Electronic prescriptions

• Internet and electronic data mining in pathology

• PDAs

• Picture archiving and communication system

• Communication systems in radiology

• (1) Blackberry as a clinical communication tool

• Emergency medicine information systems

• Electronic medical record system of outpatient workflow

• Voice recognition dictation

• (1) Clinical information systems (e.g., in radiology)

• Identification device technology to analyze work processes

• (2) Web-based distance learning

• (2) Patient data management system

• Computerized display of laboratory and radiology results

• Computerized ordering systems

• (2) Electronic patient records (third generation; registration and structured documentation, clinical support), within one institution

• Systems to analyze patient waiting and progress

• (3) Tablet as a clinical information tool

• Ambulatory referral management system (management of patient routes)

• (2) Computerized clinical decision support by desktop/laptop

• (1) Inter-colleague consultation

• Indoor positioning

• Remote-controlled transfusion management

• Automated medication-use process for prescribing and dispensing medication (including computerized prescriber order entry)

• Electronic discharge systems

• (3) Bar code medication administration technology

• Computerized physician order entry for prescribing medication and recording medication administration

• (2) Electronic health records within hospital

Small distance to patient care (concerning interaction between the patient and care professional)

• (1) Planning software surgery

• (1) Remote patient management

• (4) Virtual consultations

• (2) Computer-assisted surgery, using a robot

• (3) Telenursing (application of Telecare)

• (2)Voice link between elderly and caregivers (part of assisted living facility)

• (1) Three-dimensional ultrasonography

• (4) Telepathology (application of Telecare)

• (3) Teleradiology (application of Telecare)

• (2) Patient safety alert system

• (1) Smart Health Communities

• (1) Computerized clinical decision support by app on a PDA

• (5) Self-testing and online automated management

• (2) E-triage

• (1) Telemonitoring of heart failure (application of Telecare)

• Virtual microscopy system

• (1) Digital imaging

• (5) Portal by hospital for appointments and reminders

• (4) Portal by hospital for online consulting (mail, tweet, chat)

• (4) Portal by hospital for peer-group-contact patients