Summary
Objective: Address current topics in consumer health informatics.
Methods: Literature review.
Results: Current health care delivery systems need to be more effective in the management
of chronic conditions as the population turns older and experiences escalating chronic
illness that threatens to consume more health care resources than countries can afford.
Most health care systems are positioned poorly to accommodate this. Meanwhile, the
availability of ever more powerful and cheaper information and communication technology,
both for professionals and consumers, has raised the capacity to gather and process
information, communicate more effectively, and monitor the quality of care processes.
Conclusion: Adapting health care systems to serve current and future needs requires new streams
of data to enable better self-management, improve shared decision making, and provide
more virtual care. Changes in reimbursement for health care services, increased adoption
of relevant technologies, patient engagement, and calls for data transparency raise
the importance of patient-generated health information, remote monitoring, non-visit
based care, and other innovative care approaches that foster more frequent contact
with patients and better management of chronic conditions.
Keywords
Chronic disease - consumer participation - delivery of health care - electronic health
records - informatics
