BMJ  2005;331:1391-1393 (10 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7529.1391

Clinical review

ABC of health informatics

eHealth and the future: promise or peril?

University of Dundee.

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

Despite the futuristic sound of the scenario in the box below, all the technologies mentioned are available, and some, such as computer interviewing, have been used since the 1960s.

Such a scenario raises questions about the nature of clinical practice and healthcare systems—for example, how much information and responsibility should be transferred to patients when technology allows it. This final article examines some of these issues, and ends the series where it started, with a reminder that health informatics is more about understanding people and new models of care than it is about technology.

Factors encouraging eHealth

Gustafson and Wyatt define eHealth as "patients and the public using the internet or other electronic media to disseminate or provide access to health and lifestyle information or services." This differs from telemedicine, in which there is a health professional at one or both ends of the communication.

Pressures towards . . . [Full text of this article]

How will eHealth develop?

Personal agents

Will clinicians become telecarers?

Concerns about eHealth

Summary

An eHealth nightmare

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