E-Health and Patient Care in Health Insurance News

E-health, or the online communication between patients and providers, has steadily inclined with the increasing use of computers and individual’s access to the internet.  Recent studies examining the use of e-mail, mobile phones and other web-based innovations have shown that these technologies can help establish better care for patients.

A recent testing of 35,423 Kaiser Permanente patients with various hypertension/diabetes combinations resulted in a proved increase in the overall effectiveness of care when patients used e-mail to correspond with health care providers.  Yi Yvonne Zhou of Kaiser Permanente and colleagues documented these results and maintains that utilizing a secure electronic method for communication and housing records will improve the health of our citizens.  Such methods must be maintained, encouraged and consistently implemented whenever possible throughout the new health care reform to ensure individuals receive the best comprehensive care.