Geopolitical Influence of E-Health
Brief Introduction
Rapid developments in the field of Internet technology continuously seek a cornerstone in global industries and draws tumultuous impacts, trend-setting consumers within the geopolitical landscape.
The insatiable Internet dependency of users has not only propelled the overly commercialized mass production of computer software and hardware that largely transpired as part of primary household electronic equipment. The electronic transaction on commerce, trade, finance, education, governance is among the general preferences that can be accessed from home, workplace and anywhere. Eventually, Internet utilization has significantly indulged to health and medicine, likewise to consider the latest complementation of electronic medical transcription and diagnosis. Thus, this paper will briefly discuss the integration of Internet use to the so-called “E-Health” reflective of its geopolitical influence.
The E-Health
According to the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR), e-health refers to “electronic health”, in which healthcare information is readily accessible from the Internet. To further explain, healthcare information could be multidimensional through interactive (online) medical consultation, access record from hospital or institution and communication of related patients.
Ten “E’s” in e-health
As cited, JMIR described 10 significant aspects composing e-health, such as (1) efficiency in expedited communication, (2) Enhancing quality of care, (3) Evidence-based for scientific evaluation, (4) Empowerment of consumers and patients, (5) Encouragement of relationship between patient and health professional, (6) Education of physicians through online sources, (7) Enabling information exchange and communication, (8) Extending scope of health care beyond international boundaries, (9) Ethics in e-health involving patient-physician interaction, and (10) Equity to make health care more equitable (Eysenbach, 2001).
Geopolitical health and wellness model
It could be perceived that all of the above listed 10 aspects of e-health addresses the requirement of healthcare services and most especially the populace needs. On the other hand, there could be some critical points to be considered in accessing e-health, in which the population from poor countries and households may unable to utilize primarily due to socio-economic conditions, inability of knowledge to computer and minimal needs to use internet. At hindsight, there could be at least 3 out of 10 aspects in e-health that may be attributed to geopolitical influence, such as (1) Empowerment of consumers and patients, (2) Extending scope of health care beyond international boundaries, and (3) Equity to make health care more equitable. These 3 aspects can be considered as key components in bringing about and reaching out healthcare services at a more beneficial perspectives and viably influence geopolitical situation of both interstate and intrastate population.
How might using the Internet affect geographic communication?
As quoted from JMIR, “e-health emerges in the converging medical informatics, public health and medical-related-business through the Internet and other technologies”. It may be then deduced that the Internet affect geographic communication as a “convergence” of knowledge-shared-information, specifically on the developments of healthcare benefits and services that are being enacted by the government and the medical-science progress.
Susceptibility and risks in health and wellness information
Since the Internet is a “virtual network”, the users are susceptible to flaws of information, fraud and abuse. However, the continuing advocacy to law and ethics in medicine and healthcare services is improving, particularly to mention the enactment of the US’ Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 that protects the health data of beneficiaries. From that particular interaction of beneficiaries and state policies, the burden of vulnerability from the risks and flaws of health-related web sites could be effectively addressed so that wellness and healthcare information could be genuinely obtained.
Rationale of e-health in health and geopolitical wellness model
As cited from JMIR, the character of health care information technology (e-health) patterns an industry that focuses on the type of consumer-business-consumer relationship, such as (1) capability of consumers for online transaction is called “consumer to business”; (2) institution-to-institution electronic sharing of data is referred as “business to business”; and (3) peer-to-peer communication of consumers as “consumer to consumer” (Eysenbach, 2001). The information technology in health and medicine could be then rationalized as a potential “commercial outfit” that some medical professionals and institutions offer and make available the services through the Internet.
Conclusion
The emerging factors of e-health transpire at the realms of Internet technology utilization, wherein consumers co-exist in the cyberspace of medication, as attributed to the virtual communication in medical diagnostics and knowledge-information. Although e-health may have indeed gained significant patronage, the “breadth” of inclusion to the industry and needs of population may have not substantially earmarked the “depth” of achieving the “purpose of life” amidst underdevelopment in the global population. It may be then concluded that e-health may be legitimately recognized as influencing the geopolitical landscape and manifesting progressive population when health signifies wealth.
References
Eysenbach, G. (2001) ‘What is E-Health?’. Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR).
Retrieved 09 July 2008 from http://www.jmir.org/2001/2/e20/
HIPAA Primer (2005). ‘Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996’. Retrieved 09 July 2008 from
http://www.hipaadvisory.com/REGS/HIPAAprimer.htm.