e-comorbidity and information technology

Abstract

Over the past years, technology has been the driving force behind improvements in health-care and patient management. This was supported by its positive impact on many aspects of standard medical practice, data collection, research, and treatments which allowed medical providers to use new tools in their day-to-day practice and find fresh and innovative ways to practice medicine into the future. The use of gadgets such as smartphones, tablets, applications, smart watches, as well as Web-enabled devices has also transformed our daily lives and the way people communicate and monitor their medical status. This chapter will address the latest developments regarding the use of modern technology in the standard rheumatology practice, its impact on the delivery of direct health care, services tailored to the patient, as well as real-time monitoring of the disease vital signs and comorbidity. It will not focus on what technology will be like in the future, but rather, what will rheumatologists be like.