User Centred Networked Health Care

This volume of "Studies in Health Technology and Informatics - User Centred Networked Health Care - Proceedings of MIE 2011" - contributes to the discussion of the unresolved challenges arising for 21-century health care. It highlights a number of design issues and explores experiences of health professionals and patients working and living in ICT enabled environments. This ties into the Scandinavian tradition of ICT development; to actively involve users in all aspects of the design and implementation of complex technology in the workplace. The book covers a broad range of methodological and application oriented health informatics achievements at regional, national, and international level. Aspects featured include health records, standards, professional practice development, telemedicine, social media in health care, software development, strategies for user involvement, personalized health and benefits for patient care. Attention is also given to development for sustainable use which may arise when health professionals collaborate with colleagues and patients in virtual teams.
Current and upcoming challenges posed for health informatics require critical appraisal of strategies for user involvement, deployment and sustainable use of information systems and new forms of patient-provider collaboration. The concept of 'meaningful use' opens up additional perspectives and offers exciting opportunities to ensure that users - broadly understood as health providers, patients and their families or consumers at large - are offered workable solutions relevant to their needs.