1 E-Health Source: Information Systems for Healthcare Management, 6th Edition Authors: Charles J. Austin and Stuart B. Boxerman Health Administration Press © 2003

2 Possible Definition of E-Health “E-health is an emerging field in the intersection of medical informatics, public health and business referring to health services and information delivered or enhanced through the Internet and related technologies. In a broader sense, the term characterizes not only a technical development, but also a state-of-mind, a way of thinking, an attitude, and a commitment for networked global thinking, to improve health care locally, regionally, and worldwide by using information and communication technology” (Eysenbach 2001)

3 Goals of E-Health Increased efficiency in healthcare Increased efficiency in healthcare Improved quality of care Improved quality of care Increased commitment to evidence-based medicine Increased commitment to evidence-based medicine Empowerment of patients and consumers Empowerment of patients and consumers Development of new relationships between patients and health professionals (Eysenbach 2001). Development of new relationships between patients and health professionals (Eysenbach 2001).

4 Stakeholders Driving E-Health Patients want information about their own health. Patients want information about their own health. Health Providers want to save time and money and streamline communication with multiple health plans. Health Providers want to save time and money and streamline communication with multiple health plans. Employers want to be able to analyze health-plans costs and utilization by their employees. Employers want to be able to analyze health-plans costs and utilization by their employees. Health plans want to strengthen relations with members and health providers and reduce costs of doing business Health plans want to strengthen relations with members and health providers and reduce costs of doing business

5 E-Health Applications E-business E-business –E-procurement, electronic claims processing, and, consumer e- business Marketing and consumer information Marketing and consumer information –Advertising, and, consumer health information Organizational management and communications Organizational management and communications –Distributing organizational information, education and training, employee recruiting, and, administrative operations Clinical and customer service support Clinical and customer service support –Patient access to medical information, patient-physician interaction, and other clinical applications

6 E-Health Applications E-business E-Procurement Online order processing between healthcare organizations and suppliers. Online order processing between healthcare organizations and suppliers. Vendor web sites provide access to catalogs of supplies and materials and permit online order placement and payment. Vendor web sites provide access to catalogs of supplies and materials and permit online order placement and payment.

7 E-Health Applications E-business Electronic Claims Processing The Internet is being used by healthcare providers to obtain: The Internet is being used by healthcare providers to obtain: –eligibility information –advanced authorization from insurance companies and health plans for services provided to patients. –insurance claims processing, thereby improving cash flow and accounts receivable.

8 E-Health Applications E-business Consumer E-Business Direct purchase of items such as: Direct purchase of items such as: –prescription drugs, and, –health insurance. Services such as: Services such as: –Drug prices –Drug-interaction checking –Insurance verification –Maintenance of individual pharmacy records

9 Attract new patients, and, Attract new patients, and, Provide information to existing patients. Provide information to existing patients. E-Health Applications Marketing and Consumer Information Applications Advertising

10 E-Health Applications Marketing and Consumer Information Applications Consumer Health Information Health promotion and wellness information. Health promotion and wellness information. Disease information Disease information Alternative medicine Alternative medicine Health professionals and facilities Health professionals and facilities Medical dictionaries Medical dictionaries

11 Intranets are used to post and communicate organizational policies, procedures, and announcements to employees. Intranets are used to post and communicate organizational policies, procedures, and announcements to employees. Publish internal newsletters. Publish internal newsletters. Distribute standard forms used within the organization. Distribute standard forms used within the organization. E-Health Applications Organizational Management and Communications Applications Distributing Organizational Information

12 Staff educational programs Staff educational programs Teleconferences to employees and physicians Teleconferences to employees and physicians Health education programs to patients Health education programs to patients Conferences Conferences E-Health Applications Organizational Management and Communications Applications Education and Training

13 E-Health Applications Organizational Management and Communications Applications Employee Recruiting Job announcements Job announcements Position openings Position openings Employee benefit programs Employee benefit programs Job application delivery Job application delivery

14 E-Health Applications Organizational Management and Communications Applications Administrative Operations Human Resource Management Human Resource Management Accounting Accounting Inventory Inventory Billing Billing Etc. Etc.

15 E-Health Applications Clinical and Customer Service Applications Patient Access to Medical Information Patients are more eager to investigate their own ills (information wise) and to be able to lookup their own clinical and diagnostic results. Personal health records of patients Personal health records of patients Online health risk assessment tools Online health risk assessment tools Online messaging and scheduling capabilities Online messaging and scheduling capabilities

16 E-Health Applications Clinical and Customer Service Applications Patient-Physician Interaction Patients have been empowered by the Internet by easily finding health-related information. Physicians need to deal properly with the fact that patients these days are more “health-informed” as a result of the internet. Increased patient desire for communications Increased patient desire for communications Automated home monitoring of patients by physicians Automated home monitoring of patients by physicians

17 E-Health Applications Clinical and Customer Service Applications Other Clinical Applications Clinical decision support systems can provide: Clinical decision support systems can provide: –Real-time alerts –Warnings –Screening capabilities –Access to reference materials by physicians