Title: Chronic disease management and the development of virtual communities

Authors: Alan D. Smith

Addresses: Department of Management and Marketing, Robert Morris University, Pittsburgh, PA 15219–3099, USA

Abstract: The current volume and expected increases in the number of patients with chronic diseases are concerned significant and substantial. Patients with chronic diseases have a great need to personally manage their health-related behaviour, such as food consumption, and its impact on their health indicators, like blood pressure, body weight, blood sugar, cholesterol, to name a few. Current healthcare systems are unable to meet the needs of patients with chronic diseases for management, due to the need for acute care. An analysis of the needs was performed and recommendations for virtual communities were made to help patients with chronic diseases monitor and manage their health. Virtual communities have the potential to meet the need to assist with monitoring activities, education, community membership, and the sale of products and services. However, they also face risks inherent to accepting and storing any form of personal health information, and of remaining in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act of 2001.

Keywords: chronic disease management; empirical study; Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act; HIPAA; personal health information; PHI; virtual communities; web based communities; healthcare management; e-health; electronic healthcare.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEH.2007.014552

International Journal of Electronic Healthcare, 2007 Vol.3 No.3, pp.329 - 352

Published online: 16 Jul 2007 *

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