Engage the people – health informatics and personal health management

Abstract

In this chapter, we discuss the opportunities to address the unmet needs among citizens, healthy individuals, patients and their families and/or significant others, using new technology solutions to support everyday health management activities. Patients and their families represent an undervalued resource, and if mobilized, would actively participate through the use of digital services, positively disrupting health care interactions and patterns of care. Future-oriented, elegant tools for citizen engagement, as illustrated in the case studies in this chapter, can help redress the traditional asymmetrical relationships in healthcare, where patients are regarded as mostly passive recipients. Digital health innovation can nurture change by offering novel opportunities to collect, complement and curate information for personal use. Then, data analytics supported by appropriate standards to avoid bias, step in and tailor service portfolios to one’s personal health and wellness needs. Convenience, accessibility and active use of these digital tools generate information allowing for knowledge and wisdom that can guide how best to optimize resource consumption of public and private health services. Trust is paramount to drive adoption. Nurses are perfectly poised to lead this paradigm shift in healthcare, if they take on the tasks of helping people to access and understand the health data generated by their new digital solutions. Nurse informaticists will support the nurses in learning these new skills. Nurses continue to significantly impact patients’ health through multiple avenues including the new role of digital technology mediator and broker.