Abstract
To bridge the gap between patients' desire for active involvement in healthcare decisions and the availability of trustworthy resources, the chapter introduces SIKDA. This groundbreaking model aims to empower patients and caregivers by facilitating informed patient decision-making. SIKDA represents a transformative approach to consumer health information, providing patients with a single point of access to credible and up-to-date health information online and the knowledge and guidance of a librarian. By leveraging existing NHS online resources and collaborating with public and medical librarians, SIKDA ensures accessibility and inclusivity for diverse demographics, minimizing costs to public services. The study establishes the foundation for a novel paradigm, enhancing patient engagement, healthcare outcomes, information literacy, and collaborative efforts in the digital healthcare era.
Top1. Introduction
The application of SIKDA stems from a critical need to address the disparity between patients' eagerness for active participation in healthcare decisions and the limited availability of reliable resources. Recognizing this gap, the chapter unfolds with the primary objective of introducing SIKDA as a transformative model with the explicit purpose of empowering both patients and caregivers. The cornerstone of SIKDA lies in its commitment to facilitate informed decision-making among patients, fostering a paradigm shift in the realm of consumer health information. SIKDA operates as an innovative approach, providing a unified platform that grants patients a singular point of access to credible and real-time health information online, complemented by the invaluable knowledge and guidance of a librarian. This dual-layered approach enhances the quality of information available to patients, positioning them as active participants in their healthcare journey. By strategically leveraging existing NHS online resources and establishing collaborations with public and medical librarians, SIKDA goes beyond mere accessibility, ensuring inclusivity across diverse demographic groups. Notably, this inclusive design is achieved while minimizing costs to public services, demonstrating the model's practical and sustainable impact on healthcare infrastructure. This study serves as the foundational exploration of the SIKDA paradigm, laying the groundwork for a novel approach that transcends traditional boundaries. The overarching motivation behind this work is to contribute significantly to enhanced patient engagement, improved healthcare outcomes, heightened information literacy, and strengthened collaborative efforts within the dynamic landscape of digital healthcare. Through a rigorous examination of the major objectives, this chapter aims to underscore the profound impact of SIKDA on reshaping the healthcare landscape for the benefit of patients, caregivers, and the broader healthcare community. One major challenge in the ever-changing healthcare system is people's growing dependence on online resources for medical information (Gille et al., 2021). Patients are urged to actively engage in making decisions about their health (Swire et al., 2020). Nevertheless, they run the danger of making ill-informed choices due to the enormity of unfiltered and incorrect information available online (Bujnowska et al., 2019). This gap in reliable health information access and the imperative for patient engagement highlights a critical problem. Additionally, the existing literature reveals a need for more research addressing the simultaneous issues of patient participation, information access, and skill utilization (van Schalkwyk et al., 2020). The purpose of this chapter is to fill these gaps and provide a tailored Seven Pillars of Health Information Literacy (SIKDA) model so that people in rural Indonesia, including patients and caregivers, may make better healthcare choices (Verawati et al., 2022). The results of this chapter can substantially impact the world of practice and contribute to the expansion of applied research in several ways: Healthcare practitioners can apply the insights to foster more patient-centred care. Understanding patient information needs and challenges can guide practitioners in tailoring communication strategies, ensuring patients actively participate in decision-making. Patient happiness, treatment adherence, and general health outcomes may be further investigated via applied research into the use of patient-centred care models in various healthcare contexts (Davis et al., 2020). The study's results may help health data suppliers improve the usability of their websites. Improved user interfaces, content curation, and integration of librarian support can create more user-friendly and reliable resources. Future applied research can delve into the effectiveness of different features in online health information platforms, investigating user preferences and the impact on health SIKDA. Healthcare professionals can apply the research findings to improve their communication with patients, recognizing the importance of providing information and support in navigating healthcare choices. Applied research can explore training programs for healthcare professionals, evaluating the effectiveness of interventions to enhance communication skills and patient engagement. Librarians and information specialists can collaborate more effectively within the healthcare ecosystem, supporting users in accessing and understanding health information. Applied research can delve into the dynamics of librarian collaboration in healthcare settings, examining the impact on patient outcomes and the effectiveness of different support models. Policymakers can use the research findings to inform health policies promoting patient engagement, improving health literacy, and fostering collaboration within the healthcare sector. Applied research can explore the implementation and impact of health policies inspired by the research, evaluating their effectiveness in real-world healthcare settings. Health information technology developers can apply research insights to designing platforms catering to diverse user needs and literacy levels. Future applied research can focus on the continuous improvement of health technology, exploring innovations that enhance the user experience, increase accessibility, and promote health literacy. The research contributes to the culture of continuous quality improvement in healthcare, encouraging organizations to reassess their patient engagement and information provision approaches. Applied research can delve into the long-term impact of quality improvement initiatives inspired by the research, examining their sustainability and scalability in different healthcare contexts. The results of this research offer practical insights that can be directly applied to improve various aspects of healthcare practice. Additionally, they provide fertile ground for further applied research to explore and refine interventions, strategies, and models to advance patient-centred care, health information accessibility, and collaborative healthcare efforts.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Consumer Health Information: Health information encompasses health-related content and resources tailored to the general public. It includes easily understandable information about medical conditions, treatments, preventive measures, and wellness, aiming to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health.
Evidence-Based Decision-Making: Evidence-based decision-making involves the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of the best available evidence in combination with clinical expertise and patient values to inform healthcare decisions. It emphasizes using pertinent research results in decision-making.
Collaborative Healthcare: Collaborative healthcare refers to a healthcare approach where professionals from various disciplines, along with patients and their families, provide comprehensive and integrated care. It emphasizes open communication, shared decision-making, and coordinated efforts among healthcare providers to optimize patient outcomes.
Patient Empowerment: Encouraging patients to take an active role in making choices about their healthcare by increasing their knowledge, confidence, and abilities is what we mean when we talk about patient empowerment. Helping people take charge of their health and wellness requires equipping them with the knowledge and resources they need to make educated decisions.
Transformative Healthcare Model: A revolutionary and all-encompassing strategy that reimagines conventional medical treatment is known as a transformational healthcare paradigm. Improvements in patient outcomes, healthcare delivery, and general well-being may frequently be achieved via the integration of many factors, including technology, collaborative care, and patient empowerment.