FAQ

When you go to a doctor’s office, your first priority is to have an open trusting relationship with your clinician. All patients should have full information at the point of care. You can make the assumption that your doctor will have your digital health record with a complete list of your medications, allergies, conditions and past labs, procedure & treatment information. Your responsibility as an e-Patient, is to bring a list of question that are on your mind that includes: questions about conditions that you may have developed since your last visit such as a rash, cough, cough or other medical problem, medications you are taking (When to take, how often, What time of day, with food or not? and side effects that might occur). You should also bring up tests or procedures that you discussed in the past, and when they need to happen. Additionally, your need to remind your clinician about inoculations you might need and bring up all issues about your physical or mental health, that are bothering you.

A wearables device used in healthcare is a remote smart sensor  or accelerometer that tracks movements and speed, or sensors that measure human vitals such as heart rate, glucose levels, blood pressure, breathing function. While most wearables are either worn on the body or are attached to clothing, some function without any physical contact with the user for example, a mobile phone, smart tag or computer that can track user movements, and monitors this data in real time. Modern wearable technology includes fitness trackers, such as the Fitbit and the smart watch. They also include virtual reality headsets, smart jewelry, web-enabled glasses and Bluetooth headsets. Wearables work differently, based on their use: for health purposes, fitness or entertainment. Almost all wearable technology is based on the use of microprocessors, & batteries for connectivity to the internet so the collected data can be synched with other electronics, such as mobile devices or laptops.

Telehealth is a way to provide access and answers to people who are unable, due to distance, illness or inconvenience, to have a virtual conversation with their clinicians. The convergence of high bandwidth telecommunications, video technology, sophisticated medical robots and the spread of digital health records are enabling technologies that make this form of patient-clinician contact possible. Telehealth applications include: teletherapy, speech therapy, rehabilitation therapy, physical therapy, trauma and emergency care.

In the 21st century world of medicine numerous tests, procedures, labs, consultations are routine, your private health information is recorded and handled by many individuals, not the least of which are the billing agents and the IT employees in a healthcare institution who maintain all of this technology. In the coming era when artificial intelligence will combine with your health record and could drive patient portals and other online interactions to manage your care, keeping your health information private is going to be difficult. Although there are strict rules that protect the privacy of your health information, it is not always possible to keep it protected. There are two areas where you want to keep that information private. One is where your employer has access to your health information and could deny you a promotion based on an illness listed in your record. The second, and bigger challenge is to keep your health information away from use by the prying eyes of marketing companies who share it with commercial entities use it to sell you products. It is up to you to decide how, when and whether that information should be kept in strict confidence or not. Be Aware!