Here Is A Different Perspective on Person Centred Health Information Management. Might Be A Better Approach Than NEHTA’s - If We Knew What That Was!

The following appeared a few days ago:

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Person-Centered Health Data Management Systems: Key to Sustainable U.S. Health Care

by Mike Critelli and Jacob Sattelmair

The U.S. health care system is a $2.5 trillion industry comprising multiple powerful stakeholder groups, often with competing interests. It is therefore crucial to identify guiding principles and priorities by which all stakeholders may be held accountable. For example, there is broad consensus for the following two mandates:

• The U.S. health care system needs to function to provide the best possible quality of care and service for the patient (i.e. become more patient-centered).
• The U.S. health care system needs to deliver higher value care in order to improve long-term access and achieve financial sustainability.

Engaging individuals as informed and empowered participants in their health, as well as discerning consumers of health care is essential to achieving these goals.

Person-centered ("person" because we are not all patients) health information management systems -- IT solutions that put individuals in control of their health data, allow them to share their data and communicate with anyone who is involved in their health, and provide them with the information and tools they need to improve their health and health care -- will emerge as powerful solutions that will be critical to the long-term performance of the U.S. health care system.

In an era where clinical and non-clinical digital health information is proliferating, the only way to achieve a truly patient-centered health care system is to aggregate and exchange this information at the point of the patient. Doing so will accelerate efforts aimed at achieving comprehensive patient health records, health information exchange and coordinated care, thus improving care quality and eliminating waste.

Why Are Person-Centered Health Information Management Systems Needed?

The prevalence of largely preventable, lifestyle-related chronic conditions continues to soar, now accounting for an estimated three-quarters of health care spending. Americans need to become more informed, engaged and empowered to improve their daily health behaviors, and, in doing so, stem the rising tide of chronic disease-driven demand for care. Person-centered health information management systems that combine clinical and non-clinical data, mobile capabilities, devices that track behaviors and biometrics, and personalized incentives will become a cost-effective method to achieve population wide health behavioral change.

More here with links:

http://www.ihealthbeat.org/perspectives/2011/person-centered-health-data-management-systems-key-to-sustainable-us-health-care.aspx

As I see it this article is talking about a rather different take on the personal involvement in their Health Information that the one outlined by the still secret (and outrageously so) Concept of Operations for the PCEHR.

I am told NEHTA might be about to issue some tenders for the other partners in implementing the PCEHR while the public still does not know what they are actually up to.

Bluntly this is just outrageous and unacceptable.

David.