Connected Health and the Digital Patient

Abstract

Technology has impacted every aspect of our lives, empowering us with more choice and more information upon which to make decisions. When it comes health care, most citizens want the same thing—they want to be empowered so they can take a more active role in managing their health. They want to understand their conditions and have access to digital tools to help manage their health and be involved in their care decisions.

This is important because the evidence is clear; when citizens are engaged in their health, they have better health outcomes. In Canada, there are many examples of how citizens have affected health policy and how they are using digital tools and services to empower them to play more active roles in their care. Telehomecare, which provides citizens with the ability to monitor their conditions while at home and patient portals, that provide citizens with access to their health information, are just two examples of how technology is changing the landscape of the health system by allowing citizens to become more engaged.

Digital health technology is also changing how clinicians deliver care. While progress has been relatively slower in health than in other industries and while Canada lacks behind other countries in some areas of digital health technology, we are making significant progress. The movement toward citizen-centred care and the digital patient is not without challenges and obstacles. Ensuring that personal health information is kept confidential and secure is a major concern for many. Similarly, we must be mindful of equity issues so that access to digital health and the benefits that accrue are available to all.

As the health professionals that are most accessible to patients, nurses can play a pivotal role in ensuring that they and their patients are equipped with the skills they need to be effective digital players in the health system.

Glossary

AI

Artificial Intelligence

Ambient assistant living

The term ambient relates to the use of unobtrusive, or non-invasive sensors, such as motion detectors, which help us understand how people live their lives and to detect when things change—a possible indicator of health decline. The goal of AAL is to enhance the quality of life of older people through the use of ICT.

CIHR

Canadian Institute for Health Research

Digital consumer

A trend of escalating consumer use of digital technology

GDHP

Global Digital Health Partnership

ICT

Information and Communication Technologies.

Independent

Able to exist without dependency on another concept, variable, person

Independent living

Independent living refers to a person’s ability to go about their daily lives and carry out activities of daily living, without the need of help or support from others.

Older adults

Typically the target group of many independent living and ICT products and services. There is no wide agreement on what age ‘old’ age begins. For the purposes of this chapter we will take the term older adults to refer to anyone of or over the age of 60.

Patient engagement

A term used to describe patients’ ability and desire to being active participants in their health journey and being equipped, enabled, and empowered to do so

Patient portal

A website where patients can securely access their own medical and healthcare information

RPM

Remote Patient Monitoring

Smart Home

Smart Homes are domestic residences, augmented with AAL technologies and ICT-based services, that provide support to facilitate ageing-in-place

SPOR

Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research

Telecare

Telecare—the umbrella term of healthcare services planned, facilitated and delivered using technology

Telehealth

Telehealth is the remote exchange of data between a patient and a healthcare professional to assist in the diagnosis and management of a health condition. Examples include blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring. These technologies are generally provided to patients with long-term health conditions such as diabetes

Telehomecare

Homecare services delivered or facilitated by digital/telehealth technologies