Information Management, Managed Care, and the Patient-Provider Relationship

摘要

This paper examines changes in health care delivery, from fee for service and acute care oriented to managed care and prevention oriented. It examines trends in computers and communication, and uses business models to provide a new paradigm for patient-provider centered information systems. Patient-provider centered information systems allow proactive application of new prevention, health promotion and clinical practice guidelines, while decreasing omissions of care through inattention or system failures. In addition, they allow provider implementation of population based health care by identifying patients whose care deviates from guidelines, or defining populations of patients needing additional care. Implementation of this paradigm will strengthen the patient-provider relationship, and improve overall health of the population. Finally, the paper suggests new directions for further application of information technology to health care.