Health care technology: Talking touchscreens deliver cancer care

Three Chicago-area cancer clinics are aiding health care researchers from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine improve patient-centered care using talking computerized touchscreens. They are participants in the Cancer Care Communication study, funded by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Housed in multimedia communication kiosks, the touchscreens are intended to improve patient understanding of cancer treatment and health care choices, especially among non-English speakers and those with limited literacy, and fill out questionnaires in electronic form. They offer material in Spanish, for example, or you can have it read out loud if you are not a good reader or are visually impaired. All information is presented in formats that are inviting and easy to use for people with low computer literacy.

The technology is also aimed at streamlining health care delivery by gathering patient information. Researchers hope that in the future, such kiosk might be installed in waiting rooms, where patients would be able to answer questionnaires electronically, update electronic medical records, or view patient decision making materials prior to a clinical exam.

This type of technology is already being used in some places, including the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, where spine patients use computer touchpads to input patient reported outcomes data that is added to previously gathered information and instantaneously made available for use during the clinical exam. The future potential of such technology, and how it might enhance patient care is endless. Imagine using your iPad to report symptom changes wirelessly to your electronic medical record, allowing your clinician to respond by scheduling an appointment, changing a medication dose, or simply providing encouragement that your self-management is going well. All that without ever entering the doctor's office.

That's the type of innovative health care delivery that may be just around the corner, thanks to research such as that being conducted by the Feinberg folks.