TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose– Service alignment between health service provider and patient is changing. Instead of placing responsibilities into the hands of a provider, new forms of co-operation are emerging in which patients are regarded as a resource and a partner. In order to see this vision come to life, mechanisms that: first, support patient’s health decision making; and second, integrate matters of health into a wider ensemble that is health space; the overarching state of health-related affairs, are needed. In the following, these kinds of mechanisms are investigated and their applicability is discussed in relation to a national project. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach– The work is exploratory and conceptual, focussing more on people than on technology. In the work, findings related to a concept of a health navigator; an artefact of personal health decision support, are assembled into a framework that bases on key sociological theories. The empirical elements focus on observations made on applicability of the concept, and the underlying framework of citizen-centric electronic health services. Findings– The authors argue that the discussed concept, when applied to personal health decision making according to the underlying framework, has a potential to change health service provisioning. In addition to stimulating new kind of co-operation between the health service provider and the citizen, the concept gives form to, somewhat idealized, notions of patient choice and empowerment. Research limitations/implications– The work described here is exploratory and forward-looking. Even though the concept and the framework are tested to a degree in a national project, more practice-oriented work is needed in terms of real-world applicability. It follows from this that the work is a conceptual elaboration on the future of personal health decision making. Originality/value– The findings, including the discussed challenges and needs, stem from real-world observations; from the needs of citizens. As such, they indicate a direction into which the development of personal health records and health decision support aids should go.
VL  - 28
IS  - 4
SN  - 0959-3845
DO  - 10.1108/ITP-09-2014-0214
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-09-2014-0214
AU  - Lahtiranta Janne
AU  - Koskinen Jani S. S.
AU  - Knaapi-Junnila Sari
AU  - Nurminen Markku
ED  - Dr David Kreps and Dr Kai Kimppa
PY  - 2015
Y1  - 2015/01/01
TI  - Sensemaking in the personal health space
T2  - Information Technology & People
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 790
EP  - 805
Y2  - 2024/04/19
ER  -