Health care and the internet - Essay Example

Running Head: Health Care and Internet Health Care and Internet Inserts His/her Question Today in the age of technology information is no longer a hidden treasure chest rather it is available quite easily. Consumer health information seeking has also increased greatly as a result of technology and people can now themselves access health related information. This has changed the dynamics of service utilization in the field of health care. Exchange of information between different hospitals has increased the time of diagnosis for patients.

This in turn provides better health services to people.It is also expected that people will themselves become aware of their health problems by keeping their medical records themselves. Health information seeking will also be helpful for people who cannot afford a regular doctor or insurance. One of the anticipated shifts is that health care will be accessible for everyone regardless of the status or income of the individual due to consumer health information seeking.Question 2Poor people will not be able to get information themselves through internet rather they will have to rely on hospitals and doctors.

The exchange of information between hospitals will be more helpful for poor people as they can go to any hospitals and their health records will be available there. For middle or lower middle class people who have access to technology can make use of health information seeking by determining, on a basic level, their health problems and then treating it through a pharmacist. People who can afford health care insurance will be getting better quality of self service because of exchange of information between hospitals.

Mutual databases of hospitals will increase the service time and also provide superior health care to all people whether rich or poor. This is how health information seeking will affect everyone.Question 3With the advent of internet, health information seeking has increased greatly. People can go online and get all the information they need. Doctors give suggestion on forums and everyone can read them. Simple diseases like influenza and viral flu can be treated through simple treatment. This is an emerging trend in consumer health information seeking.

Physicians are however the most trusted source of health related information. People go to them asking for advice so they remain the most authoritative source of health information. An emerging trend in health information seeking is through pharmacist. They can also provide good health care information. People are also going for public health centers in order to get health related information.Question 4Health information networks were previously relying on telephones for communication between different health services providers.

RHIN is totally based on computers and complex databases. Health information networks were also not very user friendly and people had to rely on specific hospitals. RHIN on the other hand enables an individual to have electronic medical records that can be used anywhere in the country. Health administration was also different in health information networks where information was mostly handled physically and portability of data was not possible. This has changed today with RHIN as it uses electronic records.

RHIN is aiming to make health care efficient and inexpensive (Tan, 2010). ReferencesTan, Joseph, K. (2010). Adaptive Health Management Information Systems 3rd edition. New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers