Using the Internet to Expedite Patient Care

The Internet changes the way people work and continues to transform what we can do with technology. This is especially true in healthcare. Using the Internet, providers can access patient electronic records from anywhere, communicate with their patients using email and instant messaging, transmit and view diagnostic images. These features facilitate the timeliness of patient care and work from any location. Patients can access their own health records, complete required forms and submit health information for ongoing health monitoring, and communicate with their providers.

As technologies associated with electronic health records and patient care develop, there will surely be additional features that use the Internet. This resource provides an overview of the use of the Internet and patient healthcare.

After completing this resource, learners will be able to:

• Describe Personal Health Records (PHR)
• Compare different types of telemedicine
• Explain remote access and secure internet communications
• Discuss issues related to security of Internet data
• Compare the Internet to a private network
• Explain how EHR systems use the Internet