E-health in the age of paradox: A position paper

Abstract

This position paper examines a critical paradox in e-health: there is a striking gap between critical information services for health care that can be implemented today using existing in information and communication technologies and those services that are actually available. Facets of this paradox are examined in the context of Canadian analyses and policy, advanced research on health care reform, and current technological developments. Hypothetical scenarios are employed as a means of discussing the paradox and, ultimately, of describing potential solutions that are feasible now. © 2009 ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.