Assessing eHealth initiatives: Do theoretical frameworks matter in practice?

In the last years, a variety of theoretical frameworks have been proposed to support decision-makers while assessing eHealth initiatives. These frameworks aim at guaranteeing a rational, efficient and fair assessment to select those initiatives that are value-for-money. This study, by means of a systematic literature review, investigates the actual application of the theoretical frameworks when assessing eHealth initiatives. Results show that empirical studies do not rely on theoretical frameworks and prefer tailor-made approaches, thus reducing the comparability of current assessments