QUESTION 1

As consumers become more knowledgeable about healthcare matters, they seek access to more information about their own and their family members’ health and healthcare. The employer- and insurance-sponsored consumer-directed health plans also are encouraging patients to become more knowledgeable about health and healthcare. This trend affects health information management, as HIM professionals become not only patient advocates in the emerging electronic health information environment, but also knowledge and content experts related to consumer rights, needs, and modes of access to their personal health information. Although this changing model for engaging consumers in their healthcare and healthcare decision making is forecasted and signs of its emergence in practice are everywhere, just what form it will take is not at all clear. This lack of clear direction presents a real-life strategic challenge for HIM professionals who must consider plausible alternate futures for engaging with consumers to serve their needs for access to health information and their electronic health records. In a minimum of 250 words, respond to the following questions listed below. Once your material is posted, be sure to review and comment on at least two of your peers postings.

1. How might the development of personal health records change the role of HIM professionals who work for healthcare organizations?

2. What types of personal health record products and services are on the market today, and what might consumers look for in a product or service?

3. What does research tell us about consumer attitudes toward health information?

QUESTION 2

Microsoft Project

Using Microsoft Project or other similar software create a GANTT chart for a hypothetical project that involves at least 7 tasks, and two milestones. In your posting, include enough support material to describe the project, each of the tasks, and to identify the critical path. Be sure to include linkages between tasks other than finish-to-start. (If you absolutely cannot get MS Project to work, you can use another tool to produce your Gantt chart but I would prefer to see it in MS Project.) Create your own Main Topic. Provide supporting documentation in the text box, and a copy of your MS Project or other type of file printed as a pdf.