Feasibility of e-health services through the smart TV: A prototype demonstrator

Public institutions worldwide are moving a number of services targeted to citizens from traditional data infrastructures to cloud based technologies, with the aim of improving the quality offered, and reducing costs. This phenomenon is particularly relevant in the field of health-related public services. Among the technological devices and media enabling users' access to such services, the emerging smart TV platform represents a promising and valid means of interaction. In many countries, where population ageing is becoming the leading welfare concern, information and communication technologies are expected to play a basic role in alleviating the pressure on public healthcare services. In this scenario, the paper discusses the feasibility of an e-health service delivered through the smart TV, by the design and implementation of a prototype application that enables the remote consultation of personal medical reports. Users can access their personal health records, and visualise the outcomes of medical examinations performed at a specific laboratory by interacting with the smart TV through its remote controller.