Model of a patient-centered system of urological health care using health technologies

Introduction. Human health is a clearly crucial factor defining the level of socio-economic development of the nation, its safety and quality of life. Personalization of treatment and diagnostics, which also implies patient's involvement, is a key demand for a new system of healthcare, which is currently being developed in the world. Aim of the study. To provide the rationale for a model of a patient-centered system of urological health care based on eHealth technologies. Material and methods. A systematic approach was used throughout the study. Analytical methods of research (analysis and synthesis) were implemented. Graphical information model describing the object and its properties as a graphical image consisting of a set of elements arranged in a particular order as a whole was created. Graphs of hierarchical structures complemented by schematic imaging of a feedback loop were applied to represent the information model. Results. A patient-centered model of urological health care delivery based on eHealth technologies was proposed. The model comprises the following principles: (1) systematization of informing the patients and their involvement in treatment and diagnostics; (2) personalization of preventive measures depending on the results of distant health monitoring. In order to attain an adequate level of patient awareness in the context of patient-centered urological health care, it is necessary to combine internet-based and face-to-face activities enabling to reach as many people from the target audience as possible. Conclusions. The system of personalized preventive measures can be effectively established only with the help of information and communications technologies including web resources (online surveys, preliminary teleconsultations) and also hard- and software designed for distant monitoring of health. The perspectives for further research imply the revision of methods of realization and quality assessment of information educational and personified preventive measures.