Information Technology for Patient Empowerment in Healthcare

Introduction

Every day millions of people enter hospitals, ambulatory care centers or clinics and assume the role of “patient”. This can be a scary transition – entering the healthcare system can create enormous fear and uncertainty, and often requires relinquishing control. Many patients may not understand their diagnoses, or the risks of the care they are about to receive. Yet it is increasingly clear that patients have better experiences and outcomes and often use less healthcare resources when they understand more about their diseases and care, especially when they are empowered to and responsible for managing it.

This book, Information Technology for Patient Empowerment in Healthcare, is about engaging patients and their families in new ...