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Methods Inf Med 1999; 38(04/05): 274-278
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1634414
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH

Health Informatics and Community Health: Support for Patients as Collaborators in Care

P. F. Brennan
1   School of Nursing and College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
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Publication History

Publication Date:
07 February 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Health informatics has much to offer community health care. Computer networks and telecommunications provide particular support that can enhance the collaboration among clinicians, care providers and patients. Special-purpose computer tools referred to as Consumer Health Informatics (CHI) represent the application of computer and information technologies specifically to support the health information and communication needs of patients and lay persons. Research projects like ComputerLink and CHESS demonstrate that CHI is acceptable to patients and promotes self-care and disease management. Three grand challenges must be faced to insure realization of the promise of health informatics to community health care: development of knowledge management and information discovery tools for patients, insurance of health information literacy for all persons, and re-engineering clinical practice to capitalize on patients as full partners in health care.

Keywords

Consumer Health Informatics - Computer-mediated Communication - Community Health
 

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