AMA Journal of Ethics^®

Questions about data privacy need to be addressed when research institutions negotiate with companies developing mobile health applications. Commercial terms of use and data sharing notifications should be reviewed before use in human subject research settings.

Fair distribution demands new strategies for engaging patients in co-creation.

Good design can help transform health care, in part because it involves drawing on a wide range of perspectives and experiences. This month, we talked with a health care designer, a patient advocate, and a physician to learn how “design thinking” can be successfully incorporated into health care systems and applications.

To fairly distribute the benefits of digital technologies, clinicians will need to be incentivized to adopt technologies that target the underserved.

Baby boomers are different from the generations that preceded them. They are more savvy, assertive, health-conscious, and engaged in their care.

Smartphone- and tablet-based medical devices and apps have significant potential to affect the patient-clinician relationship and improve the efficiency of the health care system.

For patients to adopt personal health records, they must be convinced of the value the technology has for them. Framing that value in a way that actively engages patients as collaborators in their health care management will not only empower the individual but improve patient-clinician relationships overall.