Place Matters. E-Health Matters

EHealth is evolving and growing at a phenomenal pace. Consumer-facing eHealth tools are expected to revolutionize the practice of medicine, engage patients in their own care, and empower personal, community, and population health. The federal government is subsidizing the use of electronic health records (EHRs) by physicians and hospitals, and there is the opportunity to use EHRs to assess the quality, and e-quality, of the health experience.

With widespread adoption, eHealth is a game-changer. EHealth access is changing the course, and discourse, of personal health, health care and public health. Research indicates, however, that if the eHealth revolution’s course is unchecked, it may widen the health divide, leaving behind minorities and low-income groups who have limited access to the internet and personal health records (PHRs); and those who have access, but are less likely to use it (e.g., LEP/blind).

Though the digital divide between demographic groups seems to have closed significantly in the past decade, disparities in access, use and literacy are troublingly persistent and have grave implications for underserved communities, including low-income communities, communities of color and immigrant communities. As health and healthcare moves online, consumers will increasingly be expected to use digital tools to manage their health and interact with their providers and others in their health network.

In order to achieve true eHealth equity, eHealth tools and the digital literacy needed to effectively use them must be available to all. Our research has identified eight barriers to eHealth equity that must be overcome. If left unaddressed, these barriers will perpetuate disparate access to, and utilization of, eHealth tools, and may further widen existing health disparities. Our research has identified two broad policy approaches to address these barriers.

We conclude with a discussion of our eHealth work within underserved communities, and specifically, within Asian American Pacific Islander communities.