Summary: Technology has increased the amount of health information available to the public, allowing consumers to become better educated and more involved in their own health care. Government and private health care organizations rely on a variety of technologies to disseminate health information on preventive care, illness and injury management, treatment options, post-treatment care, and other topics. This report discusses consumer health informatics--the use of computers and telecommunications to help consumers obtain information, analyze their health care needs, and make decisions about their own health. GAO provides information on (1) the demand for health information and the expanding capabilities of technology; (2) users' and developers' views on potential systems advantages and issues surrounding systems development and use; (3) government involvement--federal, state, and local--in developing these technologies; and (4) the status of related efforts by the Department of Health and Human Services. As part of this review, GAO surveyed consumer health informatics experts and presents their views on issues that need to be addressed when developing consumer health information systems. GAO summarized this report in testimony before Congress; see: Consumer Health Informatics: Emerging Issues, by Patricia T. Taylor, Director of Information Resources Management Issues, before the Subcommittee on Human Services and Intergovernmental Relations, House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. GAO/T-AIMD-96-134, July 26 (13 pages).
