ABSTRACT
The healthcare continuum model serves as a framework for addressing the questions an infomediary specialist may face when implementing a data and information strategy. The infomediary specialist may be involved in assisting the individual patient (or case review of an individual’s set of health records) in organizing personal healthcare records. Patients and advocates have often found it difficult to switch between their provider’s cyber-health tools and their own personal use of the cyber environment when navigating their own healthcare needs. A virtual case management patient model will support a new healthcare environment, where patients acting like customers will drive the treatment selection process using an intelligent electronic web-based application, equipped with tools for comparative analysis and interactive decision making. The personal healthcare portfolio allows patients to aggregate critical data to improve self-advocacy. Advocacy for patients can be improved by using tools and practices like the personal healthcare portfolio.
