Communication and Information Sharing between Patients and Their Care Providers

Improving Shared Decision Making (SDM), patient-provider communication, and providing all citizens with equal access to health information has become a high priority health policy goal. In this interdisciplinary, international research collaboration we wi ll develop and test CONNECT (Care Online: Novel Networks to Enhance Communication and Treatment), a patient portal that integrates a suite of context-sensitive, multi-modal patient communication and information tools into a patient-clinician shared electr onic health record that patients can use seamlessly through heterogeneous networks from different locations (home, hospital, doctor's office). We will explore requirements and test feasible solutions that safeguard data security and confidentiality; adapt user interfaces to different users, devices and contexts of use; and ensure safe and efficient data transfer through heterogeneous networks. We will investigate clinicians' and patients' needs for documentation, information, and data sharing to support communication, SDM and continuity of care. Further, we will assess the suitability of medical/nursing vocabularies that are necessary for data sharing among patients, clinicians and systems. Finally, we will implement and test CONNECT with 250 adult canc er patients at Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Medical Center under the natural conditions of a complex health care environment, and evaluate its usage, perceived usefulness and ease of use by patients and clinicians. This work will significantly contribu te to new forms of interactions that can radically improve patient-provider communication, SDM, care quality, and continuity of care, and has broad applicability for many health and social services.