Intersection of health informatics tools and community engagement in health-related research to reduce health inequities: Scoping review

The field of health informatics is defined as “the science of how to use data, information, and knowledge to improve human health and the delivery of health care services.” Health information technology—a vital part of informatics—refers specifically to electronic systems that are used to collect, store, share, and analyze health information. Some common examples of health information technology include the electronic health records used widely across health systems, patient mobile apps for disease management, and websites with health information. Health information technology has been at the forefront of many national initiatives, highlighting its potential to improve health care quality, increase patient safety, enhance communications and patient outcomes, and reduce health care costs. With the exponential growth in health information technology, various tools are being explored and increasingly utilized to facilitate patient engagement in health-related research, with tips and best practices starting to emerge. These tools mostly target individual patient engagement, for example, the electronic patient portal and apps for disease management. (author introduction) #HES4A