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TopBackground
The use of smartphones with the Internet connection has permeated almost all aspects of our life, including healthcare. Presently, almost every healthcare organization depends on information and communication technology (ICT) in almost every level of their activities. One of the most valued aspects of ICT is its capability to enhance an existing human process or function to improve consistency, accuracy, and efficiency. Similarly, efficient and effective healthcare services have become increasingly dependent on accurate and detailed clinical information, which are transferred from interrelated departments or even between organizations (Conrick, 2006).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Electronic Health (e-Health): According to WHO (2005) is a cost effective and secure use of ICT in support of health and health related field, including healthcare service, health surveillance, health literature and health education, knowledge and research.
Health Information System (HIS): Refer to any system that captures, stores, manages or transmits information related to the health of individuals or the activities of organizations that work within the health sector. This definition incorporates things such as district level routine information systems, disease surveillance systems, and includes laboratory information systems, hospital patient administration systems (PAS) and human resource management information systems (HRMIS).
Mobile Health (mHealth): Is an extension of electronic health (e-health) in which healthcare services can be accessed through smart mobile devices. The scope of mHealth is mobile personal (mPersonal), mobile social (mSocial), and mobile medical (mMedical).
Healthcare: Is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Practitioners in medicine, optometry, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers deliver health care. It refers to the work done in providing primary care, secondary care, and tertiary care, as well as in public health.
Customer Empowerment: In healthcare is a principle to give customers (patients) more power in making decisions related to their health and to give them required authority to access or produce information related to their health.
Smartphone: Is a mobile phone built on a mobile operating system, with more advanced computing capability and connectivity than a feature phone.
Healthcare Business process: Is a set of activities which activity adds value to the customer. These are registration, patient care, discharge, marketing, and service.