As the advancement of information technology (IT) within healthcare is transforming the dynamics of the patient-physician relationship, it is important to integrate various apps into a centralized electronic medical record (EMR) system and streamline health information, says leading data and analytics company GlobalData.
Access to IT provides patients with the ability to play a more active role in their own health decisions and in the process, transitions the traditional patient-physician relationship into a partnership, encouraging collaboration to find the best solutions for the patient’s health and well-being.
Sheryl Tang, MPH, Medical Devices Analyst at GlobalData says: “The rise of the Internet has brought a flood of information that is readily accessible by more people each day. Patients are now able to access information and care options from a variety of sources other than their primary care physician, allowing them to take ownership and become more involved in making informed decisions regarding their own health.”
As a result, more patients are seeking a partnership as opposed to the traditional paternalistic approach. While this drives a more preventative and informed attitude to health issues from both parties, it can also increase skepticism of the opinions of healthcare providers.
Tang adds: “An overwhelming amount of information creates the risk of patients becoming misinformed from unreliable sources; compared to the traditional relationship, a barrier can be created between the patient and physician if opinions from both parties differ.
“On the other hand, the recent rise in smartphone applications encourages patient involvement through tracking their own lifestyle and health behaviors. As both the patient and physician become more familiar with the patient’s behaviors and health issues through consistent monitoring and communication, it could potentially foster a long-term collaborative bond between the two parties.”
Technological advancements are altering the dynamics between patients and their physicians, and it is important to recognize the potential impact they have on the relationship. Physicians and allied healthcare professionals are now able to stay better connected to their patients and, as a result, they need to play a much larger role as educators and partners in addition to being healthcare providers.
Tang concludes: “As patients become more inquisitive and involved in making informed health decisions, the focus should be to move toward successfully integrating Web-based apps into a centralized EMR system and streamlining health information, driving a better patient-physician relationship.”
