title: Implementation of a cross-border health service: physician and pharmacists' opinions from the epSOS project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the opinions of health professionals with experience of the European Patient Smart Open Services (epSOS) system regarding the epSOS services perceived utility, potential impact and main barriers and facilitators to its use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative study design involving focus groups with health care professionals with experience of epSOS system. A semi-structured topic guide was developed to guide the discussion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  epSOS services were seen as interesting intuitive services and easy to operate. The greatest impact was in terms of positive impact on communication, clinical safety and patient management. Data reliability, difficulties in accessing the service and aspects related to information technology architecture were considered the most relevant barriers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has provided insights into the strengths and limitations of two new eHealth services for use across countries within the European Union, and has provided indications of how those services could be improved.
authors.affiliation: Agency for Healthcare Quality and Assessment of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain, mmoharra@gencat.cat.
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moharra
authors.affiliation: Agency for Healthcare Quality and Assessment of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Cari
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Almazán
authors.affiliation: Agency for Healthcare Quality and Assessment of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Decool
authors.affiliation: The eHealth Institute, Linneaus University, Kalmar, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna-Lena
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.affiliation: Lombardia Informatica SpA, Lombardy, Italy and.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Allegretti
authors.affiliation: NICTIZ, Den Haag, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Merik
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seven
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003144:Communication Barriers; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D055695:Electronic Prescribing; D005062:European Union; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians; D015397:Program Evaluation
keywords: Electronic medical records; focus groups; health professionals; qualitative research.; quality of care