Interactive health
communication (IHC) can be defined as the interaction of an
individual--consumer, patient, caregiver, or professionalwith an electronic device
or communication technology to access or transmit health information or to receive
guidance on a health-related issue. For the purposes of this site, this definition
does not include electronic applications that exclusively focus on administrative,
financial, or clinical data, such as electronic medical records, dedicated telemedicine
applications, or expert clinical decision-support systems. Some applications, however,
integrate some of the above functions with health communication. Examples:
Functions:
Source: The Science Panel on Interactive Communication and Health, October 1997 |