Using eHealth to improve health literacy among the patient population.

Abstract

There is no denying the global influence of eHealth, in its various forms, on the health care system in the 21st Century. Health care professionals are often familiar with technological tools used to enhance health outcomes by assisting clinicians in meeting the needs of the patient population. In an age of social media, web-based information, and material available literally in an instant, it is crucial for nurses to use and proactively share their knowledge regarding accessing and finding credible sources of online health information with the patient population. By improving health literacy among consumers, self-sufficiency and competence can be developed and promoted to improve health outcomes, placing the patient in a participatory starring role of managing and improving his or her overall well-being.