title: Facilitating consumer access to health information.
abstract: The lead paper from Zelmer and Hagens details the substantive evolution occurring in health information technologies that has the potential to transform the relationship between consumers, health practitioners and health systems. In this commentary, the authors suggest that Canada is experiencing a shift in consumer behaviour toward a desire to actively manage one's health and wellness that is being facilitated through the advent of health applications on mobile and online technologies platforms. The result is that Canadians are now able to create personalized health solutions based on their individual health values and goals. However, before Canadians are able to derive a personal health benefit from these rapid changes in information technology, they require and are increasingly demanding greater real-time access to their own health information to better inform decision-making, as well as interoperability between their personal health tracking systems and those of their health practitioner team.
authors.affiliation: Academic Chair, International Centre for Health Innovation, Ivey Business School, Western University, Professor, Ivey Business School, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Snowdon
authors.affiliation: Ivey Business School, Western University, Lecturer, School of Business and Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University, Research Fellow, International Centre for Health Innovation, Ivey Business School, Western University.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schnarr
authors.affiliation: South West London, Chairman, National Association of Primary Care, NHS Confederation, England, Chairman, NHS Clinical Commissioners, England, Senior Advisor, Public Health England; Adjunct Faculty, Ivey Business School, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alessi
mesh_terms: D020811:Biomedical Technology / Q000639:trends*; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000639:trends*; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D033283:Patient Access to Records / Q000639:trends*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000639:trends*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000639:trends*