Consumer Health Informatics

1. Consumer Health Informatics Lecture 16 Thursday, March 22, 2012 Victoria Aceti with Student-Led Discussion

2. Consumer Health Informatics Non-controlled E.g. Patient Portal Access is controlled by provider Information is vetted by provider Communication between provider and patient E.g. Web-MD Online access – usually free Information is not typically vetted No communication between providers and patients Provider Controlled

3. Patient Portals • Appointment scheduling online • Medical history summaries (instead of ALL records) • Educational information • Information input for chronic disease management • Access of lab results • Prescription refill requests • Communication with provider • Automated alerts and reminders (preventative care)

4. Online Health Information • Keep track of your own health (Google Health) • Find health information online (Web-MD) • Learn about alternatives to health interventions What are the potential issues with health information online?

5. Health Literacy “The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions” (Healthy People, 2010). • Dependent on individual factors: • Communication skills • Information and knowledge • Culture and language

6. Importance of Health Literacy • Provider-patient communication • Shared decision making • Understanding directions • Recognizing when to seek care • Learning healthy behaviours

7. Health Information Online • 80% of internet users search for health information online (Shipman, 2009) • 72% say they trust online health information (Shipman, 2009) • Most who go online to obtain health information do not fully understand what they are reading • Credible health information sites ensure that the information is at a grade 8 reading level or less, incorporates visuals, and encourages communication with medical provider based on information