Development of implementation strategies for u-health services based on the healthcare professionals' experiences.

OBJECTIVES The study develops strategies for implementing ubiquitous healthcare (u-health) based on previous experiences of the healthcare professionals. MATERIALS AND METHODS Qualitative content analysis, one of qualitative research methods, was used on in-depth interviews conducted between July 21 and October 4, 2009, with 11 healthcare professionals including medical doctors and community healthcare specialist nurses who have previously provided u-health services. RESULTS Four primary subjects were addressed: (1) subjective experiences on the usability, (2) the expectations, (3) the business prospects, and (4) the prerequisites for the success of u-health market. CONCLUSION Based on the results of this study, desirable u-health services from the perspective of healthcare professionals were proposed.