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Research Fellow Iiris Hörhammer, DSc (Tech), at the Aalto University Department of Computer Science has been appointed as docent in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies at the University of Eastern Finland. ‘I am honoured to receive this title, which focuses on health services research in the domain of eHealth cost-effectiveness,’ Hörhammer tells. 

eHealth refers to the utilisation of information and communication technology in healthcare. Examples of eHealth solutions are electronic prescribing, patient access to their online health records, and symptom checkers. 

‘The research conducted in the Senior University Lecturer Sari Kujala’s group has been integral to achieving this milestone,’ Iiris Hörhammer tells. 

Previously, economic sustainability and user-centric design have not often been mentioned in the same sentence. Today, it has become increasingly clear how the two intersect: users and the organisational environment in which eHealth is implemented make all the difference.  

‘Research shows that findings on eHealth cost-effectiveness from experimental settings often do not replicate in real-world settings with diverse users and organisations. Recognising this and engaging users in design processes is crucial for developing economically sustainable eHealth services. Ultimately, the success of eHealth implementation hinges on understanding how and for whom the technology is cost-effective in a specific context,’ Hörhammer explains.