Information Therapy

Information therapy is a healthcare term that refers to the use of information in order to meet patients' needs and assist them in making decisions regarding their health.

Information therapy works by engaging the patient in the process of their own care. Unlike encyclopedic websites such as WebMD or Yahoo, information therapy provides plain language, evidence-based medical information to a patient as they are making health-related decisions. An example is a patient who receives instructions for after-care as they leave a doctor's office following a procedure or diagnosis. Information therapy may be prescribed by a clinician (i.e. nurse, doctor or other health professional), by an electronic system in a medical institution (i.e. electronic medical record), or by the patient himself.

The use of technology in information therapy
While information therapy can be delivered by traditional means such as leaflets, the advent of new technologies have enabled healthcare providers to deliver information therapy over a variety of mediums. (The plural form of medium is rather media) Technologies such as electronic medical record systems, order entry systems, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and smartphones are all examples of electronic means that can deliver information therapy to consumers. By attaching "information triggers" to these systems, tailored, customized information prescriptions can be automatically sent to either a patient’s email account or to a patient portal. As the patient experiences new health issues, the provider can respond with specific information. Furthermore, the user can access useful information for managing chronic conditions.