eHealth in action
Conferences
Patient Information Forum (PiF) Annual Conference 2012 - 1 May, Thinktank Science Museum, Birmingham.
The conference will bring together experts from across voluntary, NHS, commercial and academic sectors, with the patient view of information being put at central stage. Earl Howe, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department of Health) is confirmed as the Keynote Speaker and the Lead Sponsor for the conference is The Information Standard (TIS). For more information and to book please visit the conference website or email conference@pifonline.org.uk
HEALTH+IN4MATICS 2012, 9-10 May, ICC Birmingham.
HEALTH+IN4MATICS brings together components of our information rich environment with the pressing need to ‘do more with less’ through a combination of formal and informal sessions.
On 9 May there will be a session called Improving Nursing Practice with Innovation and Technology, featuring presentations from three nurses and chaired by Alison Wallis, RCN eHealth Advisor. For more information please visit the conference website.
See examples of eHealth in action in Patient voices and digital stories
Translating the evidence: implementing evidence-based practice
The RCN hosted a webinar for members, presented by Dr Kathleen MCormick, author of ‘Essentials of Nursing Informatics.’ Topics included: translating evidence in to nursing practice, the role of technology and decision support.
Patient information sources
Not only nursing staff have the benefit of increased access to knowledge via eHealth technology. Patients can also obtain health information via the internet. Nursing staff have a role in guiding patients to sites where information is based on good evidence and in interpreting and evaluating the information on websites. You also need to be aware of the sort of sites where patients might be looking.
NHS Choices is a website developed by NHS England and is aimed at patients and members of the public. It is based on good evidence and information includes health advice, news and information on healthy living. Other similar sites for patients living outside of England include:
NHS Choices includes a wide range of current, accessible resources to inform patients and carers. Spending some time exploring the site in detail is well worthwhile. Some selected key areas of the site are listed here but it is constantly updated so regular visits are recommended.
For nurses, health care assistants, midwives and health visitors a good place to start is at the NHS Choices for professionals page:
- wherever you work and whatever your role you can sign up for the quarterly NHS Choices e-newsletter and keep up to date with changes to the site and how NHS Choices can support your work as a health care professional
- if you are a school nurse or work with children or young people, the child health team professionals’ area highlights information particularly relevant to you
- you can also find out more about Quality Accounts, how to update a GP practice or organisation profile in NHS Choices, and advice on managing patient feedback.
Keep up to date with health news on the behind the headlines pages:
- read a summary of the science behind the health stories in the news and sign up for a weekly e-newsletter of headline stories
- be forewarned and well prepared for patient questions following news reports
- follow links to related areas of the NHS Choices website and read or submit comments on current stories.
In the health A-Z you will find evidence-based patient information including video clips, patient stories and medicines information on hundreds of common and important conditions, such as asthma. Patients and health professionals can also view medical guidelines on assessment, diagnosis and treatment for the condition by following the map of medicine link.
Live well pages link to health education and health promotion materials organised by subject and age group. Resources are wide-ranging and in different formats so suitable for different patient groups. A few examples are a quit smoking iPhone app, a pregnancy development slideshow and a video for teenagers on friendship and conflict.
Find a service enables patients to locate a GP practice, pharmacy, dentist, hospital, A&E service or carer support service using a postcode search. Patients submit comments and rank services providing feedback on the quality of service.
NHS Direct has a page within the NHS Choices website and quick links go to self-diagnostic tools, self-help guides and answers to common questions.
Over 500 videos can be viewed on the NHS Choices website from the list on the video homepage or from relevant topic pages. A few examples of the wide range of patient stories and health education videos include:
Finally, you may find just the topic that concerns you or your patients in the list of blogs on the NHS Choices website. You can also link in to NHS Choices through Twitter or Facebook.