Health Informatics - Week 5: Consumer Health Informatics and eHealth

In class, we were shown a video about the spread of chlamydia as an example of how fast and easy information posted on the Internet can spread from one person to another. Another purpose of the video was to educate the class on eHealth. eHealth uses the Internet to allow individuals to access their health concerns and needs. Individuals can turn to blogs, credible sources, or not credible sources to evaluate their health concerns. Credible sources are sources that are reliable, objective, accessible, and accurate. 
To determine if a website or source is credible or not, an individual should look for these criteria: 

• Credibility: Does the source have an author? Who gets to edit the information? Contact information? Date of publication? How did the author gather the information? Is the source backed up by medical journals? Is the information up to date? 
• Content: Is the information complete and accurate? Is it objective or subjective? Is the information relevant to what you are looking for? Is the content easy to understand or are there 'big' words? 
• Disclosure: What is the purpose of the site? Is it to educate you or to sell you a product? Are you allowed to view information freely? Do you have to sign up/log in or subscribe for the information? 
• Links: Are there any ads on the site? What are they advertising and are they relevant to the information that you need or want? 
• Design: Is the information on the webpage easy to access and see? Does the site look professional to you? Are there any internal search engines that you can use? 
• Interactivity: Is feedback recommended on the site? Can you access or post feedback? Where can you voice your concerns and opinions on the site? Is it possible to interact with other users on the site?
• Caveats: Are there any disclaimers or clarification on the site? What is the purpose of the site? To sell or to educate? 

Click here for more information regarding the criteria for evaluating internet health information

Let Patients Help! Let Patients Help! Let Patients Help! 

Those are the words that e-Patient Dave from TED Talk plead at the end of his speech.

E-patient Dave advocates for individuals and patients in the world. He believes that patients should have access to their personal and health information because they are their own experts at health. Dave thinks that patients are being treated as third person in their health care and that they are not receiving patient-centered care. He talks about how the Internet has encouraged and taught him to understand his health and others health. He describes that the Internet is a place where patients can look for support from those who are suffering or coping with their health. 
Dave Debronkart: Meet E-Patient Dave

As a student nurse listening to Dave's speech, I feel inspired to advocate, understand, and communicate with my future patients. As a professional, I know that it will be a challenge for me to respect and listen to my patients' needs and wants because I tend to believe that I am the expert of their health. In order for me to provide the best possible care for my patients, I will need to work with them collaboratively and advocate with them to obtain their needs and wants. Although I will be aware of the side effects, benefits, and disadvantages of a drug or procedure, patients have the last say about what they wants to do with their body. I need to learn to work with the patients and not against them if they do not agree with what I offer. In addition, I can reassure my patients that they are the experts of their health and care by educating and including them in the care. For example, I can explain what I am doing, why I am doing this, and how this will help. Most importantly, I must remember to ask for my patients' consents and determine if they are comfortable with what I am doing to them before proceeding with their care. 

"We believe that when patients gain access to their own health records and information, their active decision-making will result in large improvements in health outcomes and extended overall health system benefits" (Leonard & Wiljer, 2007, p. 78)
I agree that if patients are given a chance to be more involved in their health, then there will be improvements in their health outcomes. Patients are the experts of their health and they are the only ones who can tell us what kind of symptoms they have and if the drug or procedure is working or not. 
We as health care professionals must remember that without patients, then we cannot work to develop or maintain health for anyone. Patients should be placed at the center of care because they are the experts who can help professionals improve their health and the health of others through experience. 

In conclusion, we as health care providers should ... 

.... Let Patients Help! 

References

Assessing the Quality of Internet Health Information: Summary. June 1999. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/data/infoqual.html

DeBronkart, D. (Performer) (2011). Dave debronkart: Meet e-patient dave [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/dave_debronkart_meet_e_patient_dave.html

Leonard, K.J., & Wiljer, D. (2007). Patients are destined to manage their care. Healthcare Quarterly, 10(3), 78