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H H S Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health Information Technology and Quality
Improvement

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Using Health IT to Facilitate Family Involvement in Children's Health Care

Health IT and other technologies significantly expand the opportunities for a family's involvement in their child's health and well-being. Health IT can facilitate a bidirectional flow of information between families and providers. Providers are no longer gatekeepers of information since families can conduct their own research utilizing pediatric digital libraries or other web-based education systems. The internet also provides a venue for families to share information with other parents by accessing user-generated content such as online message boards and blogs. Health-focused social networking sites host both educational and support groups for families and adolescents. Families and providers now have access to an abundance of online resources they can utilize to improve children's health and well-being.

This module features journal articles, websites and tools that will help users learn about and utilize the health IT resources available to facilitate family involvement. The intended audiences for this module include families, adolescents, providers and policy makers. The questions below address key topics:

How can health IT empower families and children?

What types of health IT tools are available to families and children?

What are pediatric digital libraries and how can they help families?

How can social networking sites and forums help support families and children?

How can computer-based documentation and other health IT tools facilitate communication between families and providers?

What are the health-related types of web-based education available to families and children?
Developed by the Health Resources and Services Administration as a resource for health centers and other safety net and ambulatory care providers who are seeking to implement health IT.
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Health Information Technology Toolboxes help health centers, safety net providers, and ambulatory care providers with electronic and online resources and technical assistance to improve patient care.  More>
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