title: Going online: The role of web-based initiatives in health information technology.
abstract: As Internet usage grows, so does the desire for online accessibility to healthcare services. In addition to patient convenience, Web-based services improve efficiency, further patient-provider communication, increase patient participation in healthcare decision-making, and enhance patient safety, all while containing healthcare costs. More than just an electronic medical record, examples of Web-based initiatives range from e-prescriptions, e-scheduling, and an e-mail-type Web-based messaging system to an online healthcare portal. Medicare and private insurers have offered incentives to promote adoption of health information technology, although they have yet to establish a universally accepted reimbursement model and outcome measures.
authors.affiliation: The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA. sclingan@gwmail.gwu.edu
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Clingan
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003142:Communication; D034742:Electronic Mail; D055695:Electronic Prescribing; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008490:Medical Informatics; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017751:Safety Management