Emerging technologies in health care and the patient encounter of the future

In the last five years, the Web has changed the way information is disseminated, knowledge is gained, and health care is provided. Even though the health care industry has yet to fully realize the potential of the Internet, the Web is only the beginning. Several emerging technologies will be changing the rules again. With new forms of network connectivity and faster, new wireless technologies, the adoption rate of mobile, handheld computers in health care will grow feverishly. Intelligent, autonomous software agents that guide the patient through the continuum of care will extend the reach of health care providers to all places at all times. The author discusses these new concepts, how they might be applied in health care, and the doctor-patient health care transaction.