One of the primary topics at the center of discussion, and very often debate, between industry professionals, government officials, and the general public is the current healthcare system and the potential for an overhaul of its processes and services. Many organizations concerned for the long-term care of patients wish to see new strategies, practices, and organizational tools developed to optimize healthcare systems all over the world. One of the central engines of the current shift toward reorientation of healthcare services is virtual and mobile healthcare. Virtual and Mobile Healthcare: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice explores the trends, challenges, and issues related to the emergence of mobile and virtual healthcare. The book also examines how mobile technologies can best be used for the benefit of both doctors and their patients. Highlighting a range of topics such as smart healthcare, electronic health records, and m-health, this publication is an ideal reference source for medical professionals, healthcare administrators, doctors, nurses, practitioners, and researchers in all areas of the medical field.

The world of medical technologies is undergoing a sea change in the domain of consumer culture. Having a grasp on what appeals to consumers and how consumers are making purchasing decisions is essential to the success of any organization that thrives by offering a product or service. As such, it is vital to examine the consumer-centered aspects of medical technological developments that have a patient-centered focus and allow patients to take part in their own personal health and wellness. Consumer-Driven Technologies in Healthcare: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice is a critical source of academic knowledge on the use of smartphones and other technological devices for cancer therapy, fitness and wellness, chronic disease monitoring, and other areas. The tracking of these items using technology has allowed consumers to take control of their own healthcare. Highlighting a range of pertinent topics such as clinical decision support systems, patient engagement, and electronic health records, this publication is an ideal reference source for doctors, nurse practitioners, hospital administrators, medical professionals, IT professionals, academicians, and researchers interested in advancing medical practice through technology.

In 1996, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its report Telemedicine: A Guide to Assessing Telecommunications for Health Care. In that report, the IOM Committee on Evaluating Clinical Applications of Telemedicine found telemedicine is similar in most respects to other technologies for which better evidence of effectiveness is also being demanded. Telemedicine, however, has some special characteristics-shared with information technologies generally-that warrant particular notice from evaluators and decision makers. Since that time, attention to telehealth has continued to grow in both the public and private sectors. Peer-reviewed journals and professional societies are devoted to telehealth, the federal government provides grant funding to promote the use of telehealth, and the private technology industry continues to develop new applications for telehealth. However, barriers remain to the use of telehealth modalities, including issues related to reimbursement, licensure, workforce, and costs. Also, some areas of telehealth have developed a stronger evidence base than others. The Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) sponsored the IOM in holding a workshop in Washington, DC, on August 8-9 2012, to examine how the use of telehealth technology can fit into the U.S. health care system. HRSA asked the IOM to focus on the potential for telehealth to serve geographically isolated individuals and extend the reach of scarce resources while also emphasizing the quality and value in the delivery of health care services. This workshop summary discusses the evolution of telehealth since 1996, including the increasing role of the private sector, policies that have promoted or delayed the use of telehealth, and consumer acceptance of telehealth. The Role of Telehealth in an Evolving Health Care Environment: Workshop Summary discusses the current evidence base for telehealth, including available data and gaps in data; discuss how technological developments, including mobile telehealth, electronic intensive care units, remote monitoring, social networking, and wearable devices, in conjunction with the push for electronic health records, is changing the delivery of health care in rural and urban environments. This report also summarizes actions that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can undertake to further the use of telehealth to improve health care outcomes while controlling costs in the current health care environment.

The effective delivery of healthcare services is vital to the general welfare and well-being of a country’s citizens. Financial infrastructure and policy reform can play a significant role in optimizing existing healthcare programs. Health Economics and Healthcare Reform: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice is a comprehensive source of academic material on the importance of economic structures and policy reform initiatives in modern healthcare systems. Highlighting a range of pertinent topics such as clinical costing, patient engagement, and e-health, this book is ideally designed for medical practitioners, researchers, professionals, and students interested in the optimization of healthcare delivery.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare is more than a comprehensive introduction to artificial intelligence as a tool in the generation and analysis of healthcare data. The book is split into two sections where the first section describes the current healthcare challenges and the rise of AI in this arena. The ten following chapters are written by specialists in each area, covering the whole healthcare ecosystem. First, the AI applications in drug design and drug development are presented followed by its applications in the field of cancer diagnostics, treatment and medical imaging. Subsequently, the application of AI in medical devices and surgery are covered as well as remote patient monitoring. Finally, the book dives into the topics of security, privacy, information sharing, health insurances and legal aspects of AI in healthcare. - Highlights different data techniques in healthcare data analysis, including machine learning and data mining - Illustrates different applications and challenges across the design, implementation and management of intelligent systems and healthcare data networks - Includes applications and case studies across all areas of AI in healthcare data