The Increasing Importance of Patient Empowerment and Its Potential Effects on Home Health Care Information Systems and Technology

Abstract

A large number offactors are combining to generate increasing demands by patients for an increasing role and voice in their health status. Important aspects of this trend include patient access to external sources of information, increasing emphasis on customer service, transparent practice, continuity of information through health networks, electronic interaction with both providers and the electronic record, and remote monitoring. Impacts and implications of these factors on home health care information systems and technology are discussed.