Compliance or patient empowerment in online communities: reformation of health care services?

Helle Wentzer; Ann Bygholm

doi:10.3233/978-1-60750-569-3-141

Compliance or patient empowerment in online communities: reformation of health care services?

Helle Wentzer, Ann Bygholm

Department of Communication and Psychology

Research output: Contribution to book/anthology/report/conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

New technologies enable a different organization of the public’s admission to health care services. The article discusses whether online support groups in patient treatment are to be understood in the light of patient empowerment or within the tradition of compliance. The back-ground material of the discussion is complementary data from quantitative research on characteristics of patient support groups, and from two qualitative, in depth studies of the impact of patient networks for lung patients and for women with fertility problems. We conclude that in spite of the potential of online communities of opening up health care to the critical voice of the public, the quantitative and qualitative studies surprisingly point to a synthesis of the otherwise opposite positions of empowerment and compliance in patient care. Thereby the critical potential of online communities in health care services seems reverted into configuring ideal patients from diverse users.

Translated title of the contribution	Komplience eller patient empowerment i online fællesskaber på sundhed.dk:: reformation af sundhedsydelser?
Original language	English
Title of host publication	Information Technology in Health Care : Socio-Technical Approaches 2010 - From Safe Systems to Patient Safety
Editors	Christian Nøhr, Jos Aarts
Number of pages	7
Publisher	IOS Press
Publication date	2010
Pages	141-147
ISBN (Print)	978-1-60750-568-6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-569-3-141
Publication status	Published - 2010
Event	International Conference on Information Technology in Health Care - Aalborg, Denmark Duration: 23 Jun 2010 → 24 Jun 2010 Conference number: 4 http://www.ithc2010.org/

Conference

Conference	International Conference on Information Technology in Health Care
Number	4
Country/Territory	Denmark
City	Aalborg
Period	23/06/2010 → 24/06/2010
Internet address	http://www.ithc2010.org/

Series	Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
Volume	157
ISSN	0926-9630

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Cite this

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title = "Compliance or patient empowerment in online communities: reformation of health care services?",

abstract = "New technologies enable a different organization of the public{\textquoteright}s admission to health care services. The article discusses whether online support groups in patient treatment are to be understood in the light of patient empowerment or within the tradition of compliance. The back-ground material of the discussion is complementary data from quantitative research on characteristics of patient support groups, and from two qualitative, in depth studies of the impact of patient networks for lung patients and for women with fertility problems. We conclude that in spite of the potential of online communities of opening up health care to the critical voice of the public, the quantitative and qualitative studies surprisingly point to a synthesis of the otherwise opposite positions of empowerment and compliance in patient care. Thereby the critical potential of online communities in health care services seems reverted into configuring ideal patients from diverse users. ",

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Wentzer, H & Bygholm, A 2010, Compliance or patient empowerment in online communities: reformation of health care services? in C Nøhr & J Aarts (eds), Information Technology in Health Care: Socio-Technical Approaches 2010 - From Safe Systems to Patient Safety. IOS Press, Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, vol. 157, pp. 141-147, International Conference on Information Technology in Health Care, Aalborg, Denmark, 23/06/2010. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-569-3-141

Compliance or patient empowerment in online communities: reformation of health care services? / Wentzer, Helle; Bygholm, Ann.
Information Technology in Health Care: Socio-Technical Approaches 2010 - From Safe Systems to Patient Safety. ed. / Christian Nøhr; Jos Aarts. IOS Press, 2010. p. 141-147 (Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, Vol. 157).

Research output: Contribution to book/anthology/report/conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research › peer-review

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AB - New technologies enable a different organization of the public’s admission to health care services. The article discusses whether online support groups in patient treatment are to be understood in the light of patient empowerment or within the tradition of compliance. The back-ground material of the discussion is complementary data from quantitative research on characteristics of patient support groups, and from two qualitative, in depth studies of the impact of patient networks for lung patients and for women with fertility problems. We conclude that in spite of the potential of online communities of opening up health care to the critical voice of the public, the quantitative and qualitative studies surprisingly point to a synthesis of the otherwise opposite positions of empowerment and compliance in patient care. Thereby the critical potential of online communities in health care services seems reverted into configuring ideal patients from diverse users.

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Wentzer H, Bygholm A. Compliance or patient empowerment in online communities: reformation of health care services? In Nøhr C, Aarts J, editors, Information Technology in Health Care: Socio-Technical Approaches 2010 - From Safe Systems to Patient Safety. IOS Press. 2010. p. 141-147. (Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, Vol. 157). doi: 10.3233/978-1-60750-569-3-141