Information Technology Solutions for Healthcare

Many of the changes occurring within medicine are being catalyzed by the proliferation of professional and social activity with the internet and mobile technology. Understanding of the way in which healthcare is being transformed by IT is key in the improvement of medical standards and reduction of cost. This book presents the current and future trends in the transformation of healthcare services in the Information Society Era. The synergy between computer technology and medical services has opened fascinating new possibilities for benefit in areas such as continuing care, chronic disease treatment and old people home monitoring, bringing with it the promise of essential changes in existing models of care delivery and system performance. This book addresses the priorities within international informatics and presents a complete and thorough survey of the most promising e-health technologies. This is illustrated with the inclusion of case reports indentifying real applications of the techniques, with the focus on providing an integrated overview of e-health, and the medical, sociological and technical aspects. The authors' primary objective has been to provide an in-depth study of internet-enhanced healthcare services, while mobile technology is also reviewed in the context of modern wireless technologies. The authors have provided a unique analysis of the evolution of healthcare services. The book is illustrated by numerous examples and comes together to provide a valuable set of tele-care solutions available to modern informatics practice.