Real World Case Study

Learning Goal: I’m working on a health & medical discussion question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.

As consumers become more knowledgeable about healthcare matters, they seek access to more information about their own and their family members’ health and healthcare. The employer- and insurance-sponsored consumer-directed health plans also are encouraging patients to become more knowledgeable about health and healthcare. This trend affects health information management, as HIM professionals become not only patient advocates in the emerging electronic health information environment, but also knowledge and content experts related to consumer rights, needs, and modes of access to their personal health information. Although this changing model for engaging consumers in their healthcare and healthcare decision making is forecasted and signs of its emergence in practice are everywhere, just what form it will take is not clear. This lack of clear direction presents a real-life strategic challenge for HIM professionals who must consider plausible alternate future for engaging with consumers to serve their needs for access to health information and their electronic health records.

In a minimum of 250 words, respond to the following questions listed below. Support your post with at least 2-3 peer-reviewed references. After making the initial post, review and comment on at least two of your peers’ postings.

1. How might the development of personal health records change the role of HIM professionals who work for healthcare organizations?

2. What types of personal health record products and services are available in the market today, and what might consumers look for in a product or service?

3. What does research tell us about consumer attitudes toward health information?