Consumer Health Informatics Paper

Consumer Health Informatics Paper

Consumer Health Informatics Paper

As patients become more responsible for managing an increasing volume of health information, including their medical history, lab results, and medications, new consumer health information technology (health IT) applications are being developed that allow patients to manage, share, and control their health  information electronically and to assume a more active role in the management of their health. Consumer Health Informatics Paper

While the term “consumer health IT applications” is not yet well-defined, in general, it refers to a wide range of hardware, software, and Web-based applications that allows patients to participate in their own health care via electronic means.  The American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) has developed a working definition for the field of consumer health informatics stating that it is “a subspecialty of medical informatics which studies from a patient/consumer perspective the use of electronic information and communication to improve medical outcomes and the health care decision-making process.” [1]Consumer Health Informatics Paper  In addition, as defined by Eysenbach, the study of consumer health informatics includes analyzing consumers’ information needs, studying and implementing methods of making information accessible to consumers, and modeling and integrating consumers’ preferences into medical information systems. [2]

New consumer health IT applications are being developed to be used on a variety of different platforms, including via the Web, messaging systems, PDAs, and cell phones, [3] and their use can benefit both patients and providers. These applications have various purposes including assisting with self-management through reminders and educational prompts, delivering real-time data on a patient’s health condition to both patients and providers, facilitating Web-based support groups, and compiling and storing personal health information in an easily accessible format. One example of the potential benefits of these kinds of applications is illustrated by the use of messaging capabilities available in certain consumer health IT applications that enable timely communication between patients and their providers. [4]  Moreover, consumer health IT applications that allow gathering and integrating data from various health care sources can serve as a comprehensive resource for patients and their providers.  In addition to convenience, consumer health IT applications also can be important in emergency situations to provide critical health information to medical staff.

As described by Jimison et al., [3] consumer health IT applications differ to the degree with which they integrate information about the patient in the application itself and the degree to which they provide patient-specific recommendations back to the user. Some examples of the range of applications are listed below.Consumer Health Informatics Paper

Self-Management Systems. This includes systems that are highly varied and include different combinations of functionality utilizing multiple platforms.  The most effective systems provide a timely response to information about the current or evolving status of the user.  Some of them allow for monitoring and transmission of information, such as blood pressure or blood glucose.  Depending on system design, feedback to a patient regarding his/her health status can be received from the system directly or from the provider who receives information from the system.

Electronic Personal Health Records and Patient Portals.  Electronic personal health records (PHRs) are defined as “an electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards and that can be drawn from multiple sources while being managed, shared, and controlled by the individual.” [5]  An electronic PHR can exist as a stand-alone application that allows information to be exported to or imported from other sources or applications or as a “tethered” application that is linked to a specific health care organization’s information system. Consumer Health Informatics Paper Tethered PHRs, also referred to as patient portals, typically allow patients to view, but not modify, data from the provider’s electronic health record (EHR).  Relevant information that is often retained in a PHR include personal identifiers, contact information, health provider information, problem list, medication history, allergies, immunizations, lab and test results, and other relevant medical history. [6]  Some applications also allow patients to communicate electronically with their providers.

Peer Interaction Systems.  Peer interaction can take the form of stand-alone applications or can sometimes be a part of multi component applications.  These applications can increase the perceived peer support and improve personal and social outcomes. [7]  Through online forums, discussion groups, and other peer communication features, patients can interact electronically with others who have similar conditions.

Get a 10 % discount on an order above $ 100
Use the following coupon code :
NRSCODE