Patient Empowerment, Cybermedicine, and Citizen Education

Abstract

Improving patient care requires the participation of patients in the healthcare decisionmaking process. New information and communication technologies should lead to informed consumerism and contribute to the improved collaboration of the participants in the care process. Health information technologies, namely telemedicine and cybermedicine, will enable patient empowerment, but significant revisions of education and training programs of both the health professionals and the citizens are necessary to reengineer the cultural changes to the patient/physician relationships.