An Evidence-Based
Approach
Introduction:
Evaluation of IHC
Consumers & IHC
Evaluation
Developers &
IHC Evaluation
Policy Issues Relevant
to IHC
Health Care
Providers, Purchasers & IHC
SciPICH Final
Report
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Wired for Health and Well-Being: The
Emergence of Interactive Health Communication
Editors: Thomas R. Eng, David H. Gustafson
Suggested Citation: Science Panel on Interactive
Communication and Health. Wired for Health and Well-Being: the Emergence of Interactive
Health Communication. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human
Services, US Government Printing Office, April 1999.
Download in PDF format: [Entire Document] [References]
Appendix F: Potential
Activities For Clinicians In Promoting An "Information- Friendly" Practice
- Familiarize yourself with the spectrum and functions
of interactive health communication (IHC) technologies. Educate yourself about ways to
evaluate their quality and impact, especially health information on the Internet. Attend
seminars and meetings in this emerging area. Consult with knowledgeable colleagues.
- Learn how to use Web search engines to locate health
information. Start by learning how to use popular search mechanisms, such as
healthfinder®1 (http://www.healthfinder.gov/) and Medline2 (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/).
Consult with medical librarians about search strategies.
- Encourage your patients to be active participants in
their health care and share clinical decisions by enlisting them to learn more about their
condition. Provide standard written guidance about how to find high-quality and relevant
information resources and how to be an informed consumer of IHC. When you give your
patient or family members information about a diagnosis, test, or other health issue,
write down some keywords clearly on an "information prescription" and suggest
how they may be able to find additional information on Web sites and in journals, books,
and other resources that you have selected. Invite patients to bring in information that
they have found. Survey your patients about how your practice can become more
"information-friendly."
- Develop and implement information technology
(including Web site) policies, standards, and practices that promote quality, privacy, and
confidentiality. These should address who can access, add to, or modify Web sites;
security measures to protect against external tampering; and encryption for e-mail
containing medical records and other patient information.
- Create a Web site for your practice that may include
office information and links to Web sites that you judge to be appropriate. Encourage
patients to communicate with you and your staff by e-mail. Sponsor or host a listserv, Web
forum, or newsletter to allow patients to support each other and share useful information
resources on a regular basis. Participate in online discussion groups to learn about the
needs of patients.
- Provide patient access to the Internet in your office
or waiting area, and place terminals in locations that are accessible while maintaining
privacy and confidentiality. "Bookmark" high-quality and relevant sites on the
Web browser.
- Designate a staff member to serve as the leader and
coordinator for information technology issues (much like an information technology
specialist or chief information officer in a business or organization). He or she should
regularly surf the Web and peruse reviews of IHC applications for information relevant to
the clinicians and patients in the practice, such as late-breaking research from news
sites and online journals. This person also could identify and monitor major Web sites,
listservs, and online support groups that are most relevant to the practice. This person
does not have to be a health professional, but should be someone with an interest in
technology and some training.
- Advocate for evaluation of IHC applications before
you endorse them to your patients. Health care professionals should demand evidence of
efficacy and safety, just as they do for other health interventions.
1 healthfinder® is a federally
sponsored gateway consumer health information Web site that provides selected online
publications, clearinghouses, databases, links to Web sites, and information about support
and self-help groups. Sources include government agencies and nonprofit organizations that
produce reliable information for the public.
2 Medline is now available to
clinicians and the general public for free and can be searched through either Internet
Grateful Med or PubMed. The National Library of Medicine site also provides access to
other important resources for clinicians and the public, such as clinical practice
guidelines.
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Comments: SciPICH@nhic.org
Updated: 05/01/08 |