Untitled - socium.ge

e-health networks and social transformations 301As noted above, there were many enthusiastic expectations about the provisionof health information through centralized and commercial Internetwebsites, and indeed such sites have many advantages. We can ask how muchdifference these technologies are actually making in practical terms. One way toassess this is to ask if they allow providing organizations to be more efficient. Ifone considers samplings of success stories from hospitals and medical practices,the answer would clearly be that, if the innovations are well considered andimplemented, they save money for the practitioner and the supporting organization(Landro, 2003). Does it make a difference in terms of quality of care for thepatient? The answer would seem to be, in many cases, yes. The informationresources of the Internet have enabled many to find solutions to their needs andtake greater responsibility for their health. (This conclusion is supported byanecdotal as well as survey data of both health-seekers and physicians as shownbelow.) There is much to be proud of in this record of achievement.However, despite enormous progress on the technological front, most large,high-quality sites still fall far short of what might be offered that would servethe needs and convenience of patients qua individuals. A review of major sitesshows that, while they have much that benefits patient-clients, they remainincomplete successes since they have not offered a wide variety of possibleservices. As table 13.2 shows, despite the fact that some of these premier siteshave seemingly interactive features, most have not addressed users’ needs formore social interaction with healthcare providers (which, in turn, would alsoincrease the burdens on the care providers). As this is the situation not only forTable 13.2Comparison of features of Internet patient decision-support toolsof some leading providersPatient Online social or Offers user- Free publicvideo community network specific access oninterviews support tools outcomes data the webFIMDM No No No Subscribers onlyCHESS Yes Yes No Limited toconsortiummember groupsNexCura No No Yes Access throughco-brandedpartner site;registrationrequiredDIPEx Yes No No YesMayoClinic.com Yes No No YesSource: Adapted from Schwitzer (2002)