Informatics for Consumer Health

Rapid advances in health information technology (IT) are transforming the public health landscape. These new technologies, combined with evidence-based medicine and population health, contribute to quality improvement in health care through more integrated support systems from prevention to end-of-life care. This presentation will describe efforts by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to improve consumer health through the strategic use of health informatics technologies. The HITECH Act, signed by President Obama in February 2009, marked the beginning of a revolutionary time in health IT by encouraging the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) through incentive payments. NCI, building on the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology's (ONC) concept of meaningful use, convened the Informatics for Consumer Health Summit in November 2009. The goal was to engage key stakeholders in health IT to create a blueprint for improving health care quality through enhanced support for health care consumers. In addition to sharing highlights from the primary outcomes of the Summit (e.g., intellectual products, web-based resources, partnerships, and a journal supplement), NCI's online platform for information sharing and partnership building in consumer health IT will also be demonstrated. Finally, an early partnership outcome in pediatric oncology and palliative care will be used to illustrate how partnerships across multiple stakeholders and disciplines can enhance communication and enable a more equitable and efficient health care system for cancer care.