The
Internet Access Breakthrough: Bringing Healthcare Home
The Internet access breakthrough presents
huge opportunities to make substantial strides ... not only in reducing costs,
but in improving clinical quality and customer service.
- At point of service, patient
education on physical fitness and diet management can reduce the occurrence
of many diseases, thereby avoiding many episodes of care.
- Every coronary artery bypass graft
that is averted can fund hundreds of prenatal care visits for high-risk
pregnancies.
- Preventing a single low birth-weight
baby from needing a neonatal intensive care unit saves hundreds of thousands
of dollars.
- Automatic detection of conditions
in a medical record that indicate a need for a physician visit could generate
email and automated followup via a customer service representation.
- Appointments could be scheduled
from home and relieve administrative burdens and overhead costs.
- Vital signs could be followed at
home via a device communicating via wireless to the internet.
- Virtual appointments over the Internet
could dramatically increase the number of patients a physician can server.
- Self empowerment through Internet
education leading to alternative modes of care and prevention can dramatically
improve health while radically reducing cost.
References
-
Jones, Charles M. 1997. The Internet
Access Breakthrough: Bringing Healthcare Home. Healthcare
Informatics 14:7:62-64.


© Jeff Sutherland 1995-98