eHealth and Patient Engagement

Mid-Term Exam Feedback

• Exam feedback was provided to students.

The Engaged ePatient

• eHealth is a broad concept that encompasses internet and web-based activities related to healthcare.
• ePatients actively engage in their healthcare and use technology to manage their health and wellness.
• ePatients are digitally enabled; they seek information, share knowledge, connect with others, participate in health decisions, and use digital devices to supplement their health journey.
• Driving forces behind the rise of ePatients include rising healthcare costs, quality and safety concerns within the healthcare system, and greater access to information and connectedness through the internet.

Participatory Patient-Centered Care

• This is a model of care in which patients play a fundamental role in the healthcare team.
• Participatory medicine encourages active involvement from all parties, including patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, throughout the care continuum.

Health Informatics and ePatients

• HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) is a survey used to measure patient satisfaction with hospital experiences.
• Public reporting of HCAHPS results allows patients to compare healthcare organizations.
• The CMS "Care Compare" website publishes HCAHPS star ratings.
• Zocdoc is a web-based service that allows patients to find providers, read reviews, and book appointments.
• Patient Generated Health Data (PGHD) is health-related data created, recorded, or gathered by patients, family members, and caregivers.
• New data architecture is required to integrate PGHD into healthcare systems.

ePatient Tools

• ePatients utilize various tools such as mHealth apps, comprehensive web-based content, social networks, wearable sensors, and Personal Health Records (PHRs).

Personal Health Records

• PHRs are persistent, portable, and sharable data storage formats that can be paper or electronic.
• Electronic PHRs offer additional features like EHR data access, secure messaging, and appointment scheduling.

PHR Adoption

• Factors driving PHR adoption include the rise of personal computing devices, the development and adoption of EHRs, government policy, and consumer demand.

PHR Benefits

• PHRs contribute to improved care coordination, patient safety, reduced repetitive tests, better self-management of health, and the ability to grant access to proxies or caregivers

Types of PHRs

• Stand-alone PHRs store health information on an individual's computer or USB.
• Untethered PHRs are web-based systems not connected to a provider or healthcare organization.
• Tethered PHRs are linked to a specific clinic or healthcare system, allowing patients to interact with providers.
• Networked PHRs integrate data from multiple sources like healthcare providers, health plans, and laboratories.

Barriers to PHR Adoption

• Factors hindering PHR adoption include lack of awareness, usability issues, privacy concerns, the digital divide, provider engagement, interoperability challenges, and legal and policy obstacles.

SHU Student Health Portal & MyChart

• The SHU Student Health Portal and MyChart provide a platform for students to access healthcare information and services.

mHealth: The Intersection of Mobile Technology and Health

• mHealth utilizes mobile devices or wireless technology to achieve health objectives.
• The difference between mHealth and telehealth is that mHealth uses consumer-grade hardware and allows for greater mobility.

Example Apps (mHealth)

• Headspace: A meditation app
• KardiaMobile: An EKG monitor
• Dexcom: A glucose monitoring device (wearable)

mHealth Tools and Capabilities

• mHealth tools encompass patient education, behavior change support, sensor technology, point-of-care diagnostics, registries, vital events tracking, data collection and reporting, EHR integration, decision support, and communication channels.

mHealth Driving Forces

• Factors propelling mHealth adoption include technological advancements, the patient engagement movement, the need for global health and connected health services, and research interests driven by cost savings and potential earnings.

mHealth Benefits

• mHealth offers benefits like enhanced access to healthcare services and information, improved efficiency and cost reduction, increased patient empowerment, better personal data access, and reduced operational stress on healthcare organizations.

mHealth Challenges

• Challenges with mHealth include the risk of misinterpreting data, privacy concerns, and legal risks related to data safety, regulation, and oversight.

Reflective Journal #3 Assignment

• Students are tasked with reflecting on a hypothetical scenario and responding with what they would say to a CIO in an elevator.

Mobile Health Group Project

• Students will work in groups to analyze and compare four mHealth applications.
• Groups will choose a health topic (weight loss, stress reduction, fitness, heart rate monitoring, diabetes tracking etc.) and select four related mHealth apps to compare.
• The project will evaluate the apps using criteria like functionality, usability, and overall reviews.
• The final component of the project is a recommendation for the group's top app choice.

Mobile Health Group Project: Section One - Mobile Health App Assessment

• This section requires a write-up describing the key features of each app.
• Each app should be evaluated based on its function, usability, and overall review ratings.

Explore the concepts of eHealth and the rise of ePatients. This quiz covers the role of technology in healthcare and how patients actively participate in their care. Understand the dynamics of participatory patient-centered care and its importance in modern healthcare.