Consumer Health Informatics: Practical Guide Quiz

Electronic Patient to Physician Communication

• Remote patient tracking based on need and use of NLP and ML
• Barriers to PHR adoption include privacy and security concerns, understanding of medical terms, and inadequate research
• Benefits of electronic communication include asynchronous communication, better assessment, audit trails, payment, and reduced need for in-person visits

Future Trends

• Consumers will increasingly use technology to meet their healthcare needs
• Hospitals will shrink, and healthcare will shift to home-based care with the use of motion detection and other technologies
• The adoption of social media and big data analytics will increase, raising privacy concerns
• Value-based care and self-management will become more prevalent

Consumer Health Informatics (CHI)

• CHI is the field of informatics focused on empowering consumers to manage their own health
• It addresses patient health information apps, home telemedicine devices, patient portals, and electronic patient-physician communication
• CHI originated from the increased availability of the internet and broadband, leading to a disparity in access among different demographics

Classifications of Health Informatics Applications

• There are numerous health informatics applications, including BMI calculators, heart attack risk calculators, and telemedicine
• These applications aim to provide health education and make health information accessible to consumers
• Telemedicine has increased during the pandemic, especially for Medicare beneficiaries

Health Education and Informatics

• Informed patients are more aware and empowered to ask targeted questions and communicate effectively with healthcare providers
• Social determinants of health, such as education and employment, have a significant impact on overall health
• There are various online health education resources available, including WebMD and Medline Plus

Patient Web Portal Features and Personal Health Records (PHRs)

• Patient web portals offer features such as online registration, medication refills, lab results, and electronic visits
• PHRs are electronic, universally available, and focus on being interoperable and personalized
• Ideal PHR features include being portable, interoperable, autopopulated, controlled by the patient, and integrating with clinical workflows

Test your knowledge about Consumer Health Informatics, which focuses on informatics from multiple consumer or patient views. Learn about patient-focused informatics, health literacy, and empowering consumers to be involved in their own care through health IT.