The debate over e Health is alive as never before. Supporters suggest that it will result in dramatic innovations in healthcare, including a giant leap towards patient-centered care, new opportunities to improve effectiveness, and enhanced wellness and quality of life. In addition, the growing market value of investments in health IT suggests that e Health can offer at least a partial cure for the current economic stagnation. Detractors counter these arguments by claiming that e Health has already failed: the UK Department of Health has shut down the NHS National Program for IT, Google has discontinued its Health flagship, and doubts have arisen over privacy safeguards for both patients and medical professionals. This book briefly explains why caregivers, professionals, technicians, patients, politicians, and others should all consider themselves stakeholders in e Health. It offers myth-busting responses to some ill-considered arguments from both sides of the trench, in the process allowing a fresh look at e Health. In addition, it describes how the technical failures of previous e Health systems can be avoided, examines the legal basis of e Health, and discusses associated ethical issues.
Tabella dei contenuti
1 Introduction: The debate over e Health.- 2 Definitions of e Health.- 3 An introduction to the technological basis of e Health.- 4 e Health and me: The implications of the Net for health care relationships.- 5 Legally e Health.- 6 EU support to e Health and cost-benefits.- 7 No (e)Health without (e)Research.- 8 e Health policy.- 9 The high-tech face of e Health.- 10 The data-driven revolution of healthcare.- 11 e Education and e Health: a call for action.- 12 Conclusions.