Minitrack: Consumer Health Informatics, Patient Safety and Quality of Practice

Abstract

Health Information Consumers are increasingly seeking access to timely, accurate and accessible information, as made possible through Information Technology (IT). These technological developments have direct implications for access, awareness and use of health information by consumers, as well as patient decision making, safety, and quality of health care provision. Healthcare information systems are expected to reduce medical errors, improve quality of patient care and safety. These systems are increasingly supporting evidence-based medicine and patientcentric technologies, including monitoring of patient outcomes and adverse events, as well as better informing and empowering consumers themselves to work for better outcomes. This mini-track embraces all aspects of consumer health informatics and consumer-centric technologies or studies aimed at improving patient safety and quality of care, including: supporting consumers taking an active role in understanding, deciding about and/or managing their health; doctor-patient communication; clinical guideline and protocol support; monitoring and prevention of adverse events; and electronic health records (especially, security and privacy, access control rights, and consumer ability to make entries into the health record, including home monitoring). The Consumer Health Informatics, Patient Safety and Quality of Practice Minitrack uses the international and interdisciplinary forum provided by HICSS for the expression of practical, theoretical, academic and industrial insight in this area.