{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]],"date-time":"2026-04-15T19:18:30Z","timestamp":1776280710454,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,5]],"date-time":"2018-03-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1520208000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["K"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2018,5,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The rapid development of eHealth requires the extension of existing health informatics competences sets. These competences are needed not only by health-care professionals but also by health-care consumers. The purpose of this paper is to analyse literature production of health informatics and eHealth competences\/skills (EHCS).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>Bibliometric analysis and mapping have been used as a form of distant reading approach in the manner to perform thematic analysis, identify gaps in knowledge and predict future trends.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study shows that the literature production of health informatics and EHCS differs in bibliometric indicators, as well as in research content. Thematic analysis showed that medicine is the most productive subject area in both fields. However, health informatics competencies\/skills are more oriented toward education, nursing, electronic health record and evidence-based practice, while EHCS cover health information technology, engineering, computer science and patient-centred care. The literature research production exhibits positive trend and is geographically widespread in both fields.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The use of Scopus database might have led to different results if the authors had used Web of Science or Medline, because of the fact that different databases cover different lists of source titles. The authors used various search strings, and the most optimal one for their study; however, a different search string might result in slightly different outcomes. In addition, the thematic analysis has been performed on information source abstracts and titles only, as the analysis of full texts (if available) could lead to different results. Despite the fact that the thematic analysis has been performed by three researchers with different scientific backgrounds, the results of the analysis are subjective. On the other hand, the bibliometric analyses and comparison of health informatics and eHealth competences have never been done before and this study revealed some important gaps in research in both fields.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The World Health Organization defined four distinct but related components of eHealth: mobile health, health information systems, telemedicine and distance learning. While the research in telemedicine and health information systems seems to be well covered, the skills and competencies in mobile health and distant learning should be researched more extensively.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Social implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>More research in the skills and competencies associated with so-called connected health, a new subfield in eHealth research, is needed. The skills and competencies of how to better implement and use the services related to the management of chronic diseases, health coproduction and how to implement eHealth in developing countries are currently under research areas and with candidates for future research. For both health informatics competencies\/skills and EHCS, we noted that more research is needed for personalised medicine, health coproduction, smart health, internet of things, internet of services and intelligent health systems.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>The literature production on health informatics and EHCS has been analysed for the first time and been compared in a systemic way, using bibliometrics. The results reveal that current research directions as well as knowledge gaps could thus provide guidelines for further research.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/k-09-2017-0338","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,5]],"date-time":"2018-03-05T09:45:03Z","timestamp":1520243103000},"page":"1018-1030","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":31,"title":["eHealth and health informatics competences"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"47","author":[{"given":"Peter","family":"Kokol","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Kaija","family":"Saranto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Helena","family":"Bla\u017eun Vo\u0161ner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,5]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"key2021041509161109500_ref001","first-page":"3","article-title":"BIbliometrics: visualizing the impact of nursing research","volume":"18","year":"2014","journal-title":"Online Journal of Nursing Informatics"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2021041509161109500_ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0038-1625339","article-title":"Health informatics meets eHealth","volume":"49","year":"2010","journal-title":"Methods of Information in Medicine"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2021041509161109500_ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcps.2010.06.002","article-title":"Bibliometric reflections on the history of consumer research","volume":"20","year":"2010","journal-title":"Journal of Consumer Psychology"},{"key":"key2021041509161109500_ref004","volume-title":"Transforming Qualitative Information: Thematic Analysis and Code Development","year":"1998"},{"key":"key2021041509161109500_ref005","article-title":"New technologies for the management and rehabilitation of chronic diseases and conditions","year":"2015","journal-title":"BioMed Research International"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2021041509161109500_ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"339","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jvb.2014.08.008","article-title":"Toward a taxonomy of career studies through bibliometric visualization","volume":"85","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of Vocational Behavior"},{"key":"key2021041509161109500_ref007","unstructured":"Commission of the European Communities (2004), e-Health \u2013 making healthcare better for European citizens: An action plan for a European e-Health Area, [Elektronski], available at: eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/FI\/TXT\/PDF\/?uri=CELEX:52004DC0356&from=E (accessed 27 9 2015)."},{"issue":"2","key":"key2021041509161109500_ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e20","DOI":"10.2196\/jmir.3.2.e20","article-title":"What is e-health?","volume":"3","year":"2001","journal-title":"Journal of Medical Internet Research"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2021041509161109500_ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.295.1.90","article-title":"The history and meaning of the journal impact factor","volume":"295","year":"2006","journal-title":"Journal of American Medical Association"},{"key":"key2021041509161109500_ref010","article-title":"The motivating function of healthcare professional in eHealth and mHealth interventions for type 2 diabetes patients and the mediating role of patient engagement","volume":"2016","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of Diabetes Research"},{"key":"key2021041509161109500_ref011","first-page":"73","article-title":"Health informatics competencies - underpinning e-health","volume":"168","year":"2011","journal-title":"Tudies in Health Information Technology"},{"key":"key2021041509161109500_ref012","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1363459317695630","article-title":"How do health behaviour interventions take account of social context? 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