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Information Therapy: A Prescription for the Digital Era
Abstract
Information therapy is the prescription of information intended to help patients understand their health and their health care issues. Information therapy is not a new concept, but the increasing emphasis on patient-centric care, the use of electronic information technologies, and the interest of consumers in health information make the use of information therapy appear more feasible than in the past. This article reviews the background of information therapy, shows the link between information therapy and patient-centric care, and suggests steps for developing an information therapy program within a health care organization.
... [27,42,[49][50][51] Barriers of health information providing Quality of information, fulfilment and estimate in criteria of information quality, being multilanguage, physicians concern about precise content. [1,43,44,50,52] Organizational cooperation Budget limitation, financial barriers for providing and increasing accessibility Jack of interaction among the organizations for providing the content, The integration in local and state regularities, the support provided by medical information and information technology units, libraries and information centers, recognizing the societies, organizations and any other sectors having rich sources of especial conditions. [49,50,[52][53][54][55] Financial fulfilment Budget fulfillment, funding for electronic record research and information prescription system, the cost for establishing and staff education, providing budget policies. ...
... [1,43,44,50,52] Organizational cooperation Budget limitation, financial barriers for providing and increasing accessibility Jack of interaction among the organizations for providing the content, The integration in local and state regularities, the support provided by medical information and information technology units, libraries and information centers, recognizing the societies, organizations and any other sectors having rich sources of especial conditions. [49,50,[52][53][54][55] Financial fulfilment Budget fulfillment, funding for electronic record research and information prescription system, the cost for establishing and staff education, providing budget policies. [26,42,43,49,60,65] Health electronic records Identity information fulfillment of diabetic patient, health electronic record through the item of ordering information prescription in physician orders profiles and sending it to the librarian, the interaction process with health system through adding practical program of information prescription with patient's health electronic record system. ...
... Literature analysis showed that developing substructures of the system requires to use the combination of human forces with multi-specialties such as health information specialist, clinical medical librarian, information prescription team and the member of care team, physicians, nurses and health care staff [1,18,26,52]. ...
Objective ― Prescribing health information is very important to empower informed patients. The goal of present study is to recognize challenges for developing health information prescription on non-communicable diseases.
Material and Methods ― Six data bases related to health information prescription were investigated. They included Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, Ovid and EMBASE. The investigated studies were published from 2000 to 2019. The language of the articles was English and the access to full text was one of the inclusion criteria. The research was evaluated by Prisma checklist and critical apprising. Different dimensions of health Information prescription system were recognized by thematic analysis.
Results ― 54 studies were recognized based on the inclusion criteria. The results showed that there were three main concepts related to primary dimensions of the system in designing health information prescription system: determination of system functional goals, recognition of implementation barriers and recognition of developmental sub-structures. There were 16 subcategories including primary goals for accessibility, the concerns related to patients information confidentiality, individual differences and interests and personalizing the process of information prescription, the lack of integrity in health Information system for providing pattern of health Information system related to diabetic patients.
Conclusion ― The goals, implementing barriers and functional substructures of health information prescription system should be recognized in order to improve self-care behaviors of diabetic patients in clinic. It is recommended that the future investigations focus on research gaps in personalizing health information prescription and integration of health information prescription process in health care system.
... Introduced in 1990-s and first defined as "the therapeutic provision of information to people for the amelioration of physical and mental health and well-being" (14), information therapy has become an essential part of health care. Although this is not a new concept, the increasing emphasis on patient-centric care, the use of electronic information technologies, and the interest of consumers in health information make the use of information therapy appear more feasible than in the past (15). ...
In the light of increased focus on consumer health information and patient education, libraries are looking for innovative ways of delivering health information to patients and the public. The paper will address bibliotherapy as an effective method of health education and promotion. It will identify different ways of how self-help and creative bibliotherapy can be used to provide consumers with high quality and accessible health information. After a brief historical overview of bibliotherapy in a library setting, the paper will provide a detailed description of the most recent bibliotherapy-based projects successfully implemented in medical and public libraries to promote health and well-being to patients and the general public. The paper will also provide an overview of the development and implementation of the bibliotherapy program for children and women living with HIV/AIDS that the author has conducted at Nkosi’s Haven Village, Johannesburg, South Africa. The findings of the study show that bibliotherapy could be used as an effective tool in health promotion and education, particularly in a situation where a strong stigma is associated with a medical condition or disorder.
In order to understand if a physician prescribed medical information changes, the number of hospital readmission, and death among the heart failure patients. A 12-month randomized controlled trial was conducted (December 2013-2014). Totally, 120 patients were randomly allocated into two groups of intervention (n = 60) and control (n = 60). Accordingly, the control group was given the routine oral information by the nurse or physician, and the intervention group received the Information Prescription (IP) prescribed by the physician as well as the routine oral information. The data was collected via telephone interviews with the follow-up intervals of 6 and 12 months, and also for 1 year after the discharge. The patients with the median age of (IQR) 69.5 years old (19.8) death upon adjusting a Cox survival model, [RR = 0.67, 95%CI: 0.46-0.97]. Few patients died during 1 year in the intervention group compared to the controls (7 vs 15) [RR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.20-1.06]. During a period of 6-month follow-up there was not statistically significant on death and readmission between two groups. Physician prescribed information was clinically and statistically effective on the reduction of death and hospital readmission rates among the HF patients in long term follow-up.
Introduction: Information therapy is a process which informs patients and plays a complementary role in the process of therapy. It can enhance public health information literacy, thereby decreasing the health costs. This study evaluates the feasibility of information therapy services in educational hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science. Methods: This is a descriptive survey. The population of this study includes chiefs, and physicians of twelve educational hospitals in shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science. Stratified sampling was used to select the study sample from among the chiefs, executive managers and 239 physicians of selected hospitals. Two questionnaires were developed for data collection. The first questionnaire was for investigating the physician's opinions about creating information therapy centers and the second questionnaire was for evaluating current conditions in educational hospitals. The data were analyzed by Excel 2007. Results: The results of the study showed that all the physicians and chiefs of the hospitals believed in the adoption of information therapy services. Most of the physicians believed that patients' willingness to receive information from their physicians (89/97%) as well as the variation in educational levels in patients (94/99%) will affect their use of information therapy services. Conclusion: The feasibility study showed that despite funding and staff deficiencies, delivery of information therapy services is possible in educational hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of medical science.
Introduction: Information therapy is a process which informs patients and plays a complementary role in the process of therapy. It can enhance public health information literacy, thereby decreasing the health costs. This study evaluates the feasibility of information therapy services in educational hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University ofMedical Science.
Methods: This is a descriptive survey. The population of this study includes chiefs and physicians
of twelve educational hospitals in shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science. Stratified sampling was used to select the study sample from among the chiefs, executive managers and 239 physicians of selected hospitals. Two questionnaires were developed for data collection. The first questionnaire was for investigating the physician’s opinions about creating information therapy centers and the second questionnaire was for evaluating current conditions in educational hospitals. The data were analyzed by Excel 2007.
Results: The results of the study showed that all the physicians and chiefs of the hospitals believed in the adoption of information therapy services. Most of the physicians believed that patients’ willingness to receive information from their physicians (89/97%) as well as the variation in educational levels in patients (94/99%) will affect their use of information therapy services.
Conclusion: The feasibility study showed that despite funding and staff deficiencies, delivery of information therapy services is possible in educational hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of medical science.
Keywords: Information Therapy, Feasibility Study, Educational Hospitals, Shahid Beheshti
University of Medical Science.
Introduction: Information therapy is a process which informs patients and plays a complementary
role in the process of therapy. It can enhance public health information literacy, thereby decreasing
the health costs. This study evaluates the feasibility of information therapy services in educational
hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science.
Methods: This is a descriptive survey. The population of this study includes chiefs and physicians
of twelve educational hospitals in shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science. Stratified
sampling was used t o select the study sample from among the chiefs, executive managers and 239
physicians of selected hospitals. Two questionnaires were developed for data collection. The first
questionnaire was for investigating the physician’s opinions about creating information therapy
centers and the second questionnaire was for evaluating current conditions in educational
hospitals. The data were analyzed by Excel 2007.
Results: The results of the study showed that all the physicians and chiefs of the hospitals believed
in the adoption of information therapy services. Most of the physicians believed that patients’
willingness to receive information from their physicians (89/97%) as well as the variation in
educational levels in patients (94/99%) will affect their use of information therapy services.
Conclusion: The feasibility study showed that despite funding and staff deficiencies, delivery of
information therapy services is possible in educational hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of
medical science.
Keywords: Information Therapy, Feasibility Study, Educational Hospitals, Shahid Beheshti
University of Medical Science
p class="NoSpacing">Lack of understanding of medical terms and healthcare information by patients can lead to adverse health outcomes and decreased satisfaction with the clinician and medical encounter. Moreover, due to advent of information technology, lot of health and medical information is available on World Wide Web. However, the information available is not reliable and trustworthy and cause serious consequences. Therefore, the right information should reach right person at the right time in order to support the patient in making health-related decisions. ‘Information therapy’ (Ix) is an attempt to provide patients with the timely, adequate and evidence-based health information for making informed decision regarding their treatment. The information provided should be relevant, accurate, complete, reliable, easy to understand and practical. Ix is exactly like treatment prescription by a physician but it also includes reference to healthcare information resources to patients following a clinical visit. The patients or the care takers after going through these resources can understand their medical condition and may raise patient satisfaction, leads to better health outcomes and reduce medical errors. Ix is a cost-effective solution that allows the healthcare industry to patient-centered care. It also allows patients to serve themselves, and save doctor’s precious time, which ultimately helps to utilize limited resources in an efficient way, especially in developing countries. Ix is a need of the hour in today’s world, however, scope is limited by the challenges like inadequate literacy level of population, poor IT access to majority rural population, limited resources to develop right information and lack of information specialists and medical librarians in developing countries.
South East Asia Journal of Public Health Vol.4(2) 2014: 1-3</p
To foster informed decision-making about health social networking (SN) by patients and clinicians, the authors evaluated the quality/safety of SN sites' policies and practices.
Multisite structured observation of diabetes-focused SN sites. Measurements 28 indicators of quality and safety covering: (1) alignment of content with diabetes science and clinical practice recommendations; (2) safety practices for auditing content, supporting transparency and moderation; (3) accessibility of privacy policies and the communication and control of privacy risks; and (4) centralized sharing of member data and member control over sharing.
Quality was variable across n=10 sites: 50% were aligned with diabetes science/clinical practice recommendations with gaps in medical disclaimer use (30% have) and specification of relevant glycosylated hemoglobin levels (0% have). Safety was mixed with gaps in external review approaches (20% used audits and association links) and internal review approaches (70% use moderation). Internal safety review offers limited protection: misinformation about a diabetes 'cure' was found on four moderated sites. Of nine sites with advertising, transparency was missing on five; ads for unfounded 'cures' were present on three. Technological safety was poor with almost no use of procedures for secure data storage and transmission; only three sites support member controls over personal information. Privacy policies' poor readability impedes risk communication. Only three sites (30%) demonstrated better practice. Limitations English-language diabetes sites only.
The quality/safety of diabetes SN is variable. Observed better practice suggests improvement is feasible. Mechanisms for improvement are recommended that engage key stakeholders to balance autonomy, community ownership, conditions for innovation, and consumer protection.
Patients in vulnerable population groups suffer disproportionately from cancer. The elimination of cancer disparities is critically important for lessening the burden of cancer. Patient navigator programs have been shown to improve clinical outcomes. Among its provisions relevant to disparities in cancer care, The Patient Protection and Affordability Care Act authorizes continued funding of patient navigator programs. However, given the current economic and political environment, this funding is in jeopardy. This article describes patient navigator programs and summarizes the elements of the health care law that are relevant to these programs. It is vital that the entire oncology community remain committed to leading efforts toward the improvement of cancer care among our most vulnerable patients.
Information therapy is the prescription of specific information to a specific person at a specific time to help with a health decision. Correctly prescribed, information becomes medicine--powerful medicine. Information therapy can be as important to a patient's health as any drug, medical test, or surgery. Physicians value the information and advice they give to patients as their most important service, yet the way they perform that service hasn't changed for a hundred years. Doctors still rely chiefly on their clinical experience, their memory, and the spoken word to convey essential information to patients. When patients misunderstand, ignore, or forget the information, this vital service is wasted.
Treating healthcare with health IT: patient-centric state 2 meaningful use measures considered treatment for ailing US health system.
- Dimick