EVELYN HONE COLLEGE

SCHOOL OF APPLIED HEALTH AND SCIENCES

NAME : DAVID MUMBA

STUDENT ID : 18902050

NRC : 244367/10/1

PROGRAME : DIP SCIENCE LAB TECHNOLOGY

COURSE : COMPUTER

LECTURER : Mr. MKOKWEZA

TASK : ASSIGNMENT ONE

DUE DATE : 18TH JUNE 2018

INTRODUCTION

Many health-related processes stand to be reshaped by the Internet. In clinical settings, the
Internet enables care providers to gain rapid access to information that can aid in the diagnosis
of health conditions or the development of suitable treatment plans. It can make patient
records, test results, and practice guidelines accessible from the examination room. It can also
allow care providers to consult with each other electronically to discuss treatment plans or
operative procedures. At the same time, the Internet supports a shift toward more patient-
centered care, enabling consumers to gather health-related information themselves; to
communicate with care providers, health plan administrators, and other consumers
electronically; and even to receive care in the home. The Internet can also support numerous
health-related activities beyond the direct provision of care. By supporting financial and
administrative transactions, public health surveillance, professional education, and biomedical
research, the Internet can streamline the administrative overhead associated with health care,
improve the health of the nation's population, better train health care providers, and lead to
new insights into the nature of disease.

The capability of the Internet to support these applications depends on whether the relevant
technical needs are met and whether the operational aspects of the systems involved are
understood and manageable. As with any information technology system, the technical
requirements depend heavily on the specific characteristics of the individual systems—the
number of anticipated users, degree of real-time interaction desired, number of simultaneous
sessions that must be supported, and so on.

Many of these factors, in turn, are influenced by considerations other than network
performance. These include organizational competencies, changing preferences and
expectations of consumers and care providers, reimbursement policies for different health
services, availability of complementary technologies, and laws. The confluence of so many
factors confounds attempts to predict viable future applications of the Internet in the health
sector.
CONSUMER HEALTH

Consumer health is one of the areas that could be most dramatically reshaped by the Internet.
Consumer health refers to a set of activities aimed at giving consumers a more pronounced role
in their own health and health care, ranging from the development of tools for self-assessment
of health risks and management of chronic diseases, to home-based monitoring of health status
and delivery of care. This area is similar to public health (discussed later in this chapter) in that
it aims to provide consumers with the information and tools needed to improve their health,
but it is less concerned with the detection of regional outbreaks of disease and is not part of
government-based reporting structures. The Internet could become a significant enabler of
consumer health initiatives in that it provides an increasingly accessible communications
channel for a growing segment of the population. Moreover, in comparison to television—also
a widely available medium for reaching consumers—the Internet offers greater interactivity
and better tailoring of information to individual needs. These capabilities may lead to significant
changes in consumer behavior (e.g., cessation of smoking, changes in diet) that could greatly
improve health.
SOCIAL MEDIA

According to Facebook, there are 864 million active users that access Facebook daily. As much
as it’s influenced our relationships and our purchase decisions, social media can also influence
our healthcare decisions. Today, people turn to social media to learn about healthcare and gain
opinions and feedback on physicians. But should physicians use social media for their business?
Like anything else, there are pros and cons.

Pros
Patients are there – In the US, there are more than 250 million people on Facebook. Physicians
can connect with patients and establish relationships online, allowing you to build credibility
and trust with the online community.
Access to information – According to the Wolters Kluwer Health 2013 Physician Outlook Survey,
80% of physicians use Internet browsers to access the latest diagnosis and treatment
information. Facebook groups also provide a sense of community and are a good source of
information and opinions.
Cost-effective way to reach patients – it doesn’t cost you anything to get started.

Cons

Control – You can’t control what’s said about you on social media. People can say whatever
they want on social media and many even find it easier to air complaints or issues in social
media than in person. At the same time, this also is a good opportunity to respond showing the
community your dedication to your patients and your practice.
Patient Privacy – Compliance is something that’s typically top of mind for healthcare
professionals. Direct conversations with patients may inadvertently expose patient health
information and violate HIPAA regulations.
Time – Social media is not a one-shot deal. To be successful, it takes commitment and
continued efforts. It takes time to create or curate content, manage your page, respond to
comments and analyze metrics. You may need your staff or third party vendor to help with
social media management.
REFERENCES

Joanna Belbey ( Oct 29, 2014 ) The Ins and Outs of Social Media in Healthcare, [Blog Web Post]
Retrieved from http://journal.ahima.org/2014/10/29/the-ins-and-outs-of-
social-media-in-healthcare-and-him/

J Hao ( March 21, 2017 ) Advantages and Disadvantages for Nurses of Using Social
Media, [Web Blog Post] Retrieved from https://scientonline.org/open-
access/advantages-and-disadvantages-for-nurses-of-using-social-media.pdf

GA Ajuwon ( 27 June 2006 ) Internet for health information by physicians, [Web Blog Post],

Retrieved from https://bio-diglib.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1742-

5581-3-12