And To Follow On From The Post Earlier Today It Seems Some Web Enabled Patient Empowerment Just Doesn’t Work!

The following appeared today our time.

Study: Web-based tools not effective for diabetes management

January 17, 2012 — 12:59pm ET | By Sara Jackson

The idea of using online tools to manage patients' diabetes is a good one, but few of the tools available today actually live up to that potential, according to researchers at the University of Toronto.

That's the upshot of a recent study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. Researchers reviewed 92 web-based tools, and 57 studies about them, and found that most weren't simple enough, had problems with usability, and didn't provide enough interactivity or feedback. They also experienced "high attrition rates," or patients simply not using them. 

.....

To learn more:
- read the JAMIA study
- check out CMIO's coverage 

More of the article here:

www.fiercehealthit.com/story/study-web-based-tools-not-effective-diabetes-management/2012-01-17

So much for all the fluff from NEHTA and DoHA that web enabled collaborative care works (it certainly seems evidence is lacking with the most obvious candidate - Diabetic Management).

All this goes back to the fundamental issue. There is just no evidence to justify the PCEHR that anyone has so far produced - and to be convincing it would need to be long term and properly validated work - and I am not expecting that any anytime soon.

If NEHTA and DoHA had a clue about evidence based policy we would not have this nonsense wasting everyone’s time and effort, and the expenditure could be much better directed.

Sorry, these guys are some of those who when asked ‘when the facts change what do you do?’ would say “we just press on”!

Pretty sad!

David.