Usability and accessibility in consumer health informatics current trends and future challenges

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Digital Health

Background:

• Innovative eHealth systems require usability and accessibility for all stakeholders.
• The shift towards consumer-directed care increases expectations for healthcare information access.
• Current healthcare information delivery methods need evaluation for effectiveness and user-friendliness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe current trends and future challenges in the usability and accessibility of consumer health informatics.
• To explore consumer expectations regarding healthcare providers and records in consumer-directed care.
• To present innovative models for user-centered research in consumer-facing health websites and usability standards for health information technology.

Main Methods:

• Review of current trends and challenges in consumer health informatics.
• Exploration of consumer expectations in the context of consumer-directed care.
• Presentation of an innovative model for user-centered research (National Cancer Institute) and efforts to promote usability standards (National Institute of Standards and Technology).

Main Results:

• Identified key trends and challenges in eHealth usability and accessibility.
• Highlighted evolving consumer expectations for healthcare information.
• Introduced a user-centered research model and discussed progress in developing health information technology usability standards.

Conclusions:

• Ensuring usability and accessibility is paramount for the value and impact of eHealth systems.
• Systematic, user-centered research and standardized evaluation criteria are essential for advancing health information technology.
• Continued efforts are needed to meet consumer expectations and improve the accessibility of health information.