Consumer Health-Care Information Technology

Consumer health-care information technology is intended to improve patients' opportunities to gather information about their own health. Ideally, this will be achieved through an improved involvement of existing data bases and an improved communication of information to patients and to care providers, if desired by patients. Additionally, further interconnection of existing and new systems and pervasive system design may be used. All consumer health-care information technology services are optional and leave patients in control of their medical data at all times. This article reflects the current status of consumer health-care information technology research and suggests further research areas that should be addressed.