In the wake of health information technology, there has been an increased need for health literacy among patients and other consumers of health services. However, literacy remains a significant challenge. In proving this, Mackert, Mabry-Flynn, Champlin, Donovan, & Pounders (2016) say, “Approximately one-half of American adults exhibit low health literacy and thus struggle to find and use health information.” The author s further draws a close relationship between low health literacy levels and the corresponding poor health outcomes. As such, this necessitates the need for patient education across all the spectrums. Patient education will focus on inculcating health literacy, where individuals are taught how to utilize health information to make informed judgments about their condition. Mackert et al. (2016) assert that the growth of eHealth has played a fundamental role in availing health information to individuals with low health literacy levels. Health literacy depends on patient education. The use of technology will also impact how low literate patients acquire their health-related information.
The role of technology in the coordination of care cannot be overemphasized. Other than the healthcare setting, technology has also proven vital in enhancing the coordination of care at the community level. Falconer, Kho, & Docherty (2018) assert that through the power of interdisciplinary communication, health workers are well-poised to impact the local populations. For instance, telemedicine enhances real-time communication and interactive session between physicians and patients within their community setting via the use of audiovisual instruments. The authors continue by saying that the advent of Electronic Health Records (EHR) enhances coordinated care by allowing the health workers to update information in the electronic platforms, thereby enhancing consistency. Lastly, the interoperability systems, which involve the networking of software and hardware devices, improve the sharing of information among the eligible care team thereby guaranteeing well-coordinated care.
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References
Falconer, E., Kho, D., & Docherty, J. P. (2018). Use of technology for care coordination initiatives for patients with mental health issues: a systematic literature review. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 14, 2337.
Mackert, M., Mabry-Flynn, A., Champlin, S., Donovan, E. E., & Pounders, K. (2016). Health literacy and health information technology adoption: the potential for a new digital divide. Journal of medical Internet research, 18(10), e264.
