Discussion D4.2

Author

Affiliation

Course

Instructor

Due Date

Discussion D4.2

Patient-centered care and evidence-based decision-making have increasingly become emphasized in improving the quality of care. Similarly, information and communication technology has improved the access and sharing of health-related information. Healthcare professionals increasingly use technology to disburse pertinent information to consumers (Brown et al., 2019). However, access to such technological solutions challenges many consumer segments. Besides, the consumers with access to technology-mediated health-related information may not comprehend it, limiting the health benefits. This discussion outlines the role that health professionals can play in improving the consumers’ technological access to relevant data and information and ensuring that such information is understandable.

Health professionals can facilitate consumers’ technological access to relevant health-related data by lobbying for the expansion of technology infrastructure. They could advocate access to mobile devices, internet coverage in remote areas, and wireless broadband availability in public spaces (Logan & Tse, 2007). Similarly, as data and information creators, health professionals can help improve the relevance of the data by making it relatable to the needs and concerns of consumers. They can also help train consumers on using various devices to access the data. The education approach could help resolve the challenges of equipment use, errors, and failure (Marquard & Zayas-Cabán, 2012). These strategies would ensure equitable access to healthcare information systems across consumers.

In addition, healthcare practitioners can train consumers to interpret the information available on health information systems. They can use outreach and awareness-creation interventions to reach the challenged consumers (Lewis et al., 2005). Besides, as information creators, healthcare practitioners can help create culturally-relevant information using simplified language that is more comprehensible to different consumer segments in the population.

In conclusion, health professionals have a critical role in promoting the consumers’ technological access to relevant data and information, and making that information understandable as information creators and educators who understand diverse consumers’ needs and limitations. 

References

Brown, G. D., Patrick, T. B., & Pasupathy, K. S. (2019). Health informatics: a systems perspective. Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.

Lewis, D., Eysenbach, G., Kukafka, R., Stavri, P. Z., &, Jimison, H. (2005). Consumer health informatics: Informing consumers & improving health care. Health Information Series. Springer.

Logan, R. A., & Tse, T. (2007). A multidiscipline conceptual framework for consumer health informatics. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 129(2), 1-5. https://lhncbc.nlm.nih.gov/LHC-publications/PDF/pub2007030.pdf

Marquard, J. L., & Zayas-Cabán, T. (2012). Commercial off-the-shelf consumer health informatics interventions: Recommendations for their design, evaluation and redesign. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 19(1), 137-142. https://doi.org/10.1136/amiajnl-2011-000338