This book provides a principled approach to classification using the available data in a model which combines information from the social network and the healthcare models. It presents studies from leading researchers and practitioners focusing on the current challenges, directions, trends and opportunities associated with healthcare delivery systems and their supporting wireless and mobile health technologies. mHealth Ecosystems and Social Networks in Healthcare is divided into two parts. Part I covers the area of mHealth Ecosystems. Chapters include topics on adoption of cloud based mHealth services, the socio-economic impact of mHealth, as well as self-management of health and disease. In Part II, Social Networks in Healthcare are highlighted. Chapters cover social media and patient support, virtual knowledge sharing and knowledge management and also web-based applications in health care. Ultimately this book is an excellent source of comprehensive knowledge and literature on the topics of mobile health ecosystems and social networks in healthcare.

Concepts and Trends in Healthcare Information Systems covers the latest research topics in the field from leading researchers and practitioners. This book offers theory-driven research that explores the role of Information Systems in the delivery of healthcare in its diverse organizational and regulatory settings. In addition to the embedded role of Information Technology (IT) in clinical and diagnostics equipment, Information Systems are uniquely positioned to capture, store, process, and communicate timely information to decision makers for better coordination of healthcare at both the individual and population levels. For example, data mining and decision support capabilities can identify potential adverse events for an individual patient while also contributing to the population s health by providing insights into the causes of disease complications.Information systems have great potential to reduce healthcare costs and improve outcomes. The healthcare delivery systems share similar characteristics with most service and productive organizations, but also exhibit specific characteristics, which are related to the complexity and diversity of healthcare production, including the dissimilar ways healthcare professionals discharge their clinical tasks. New requirements and technological advances occurring in healthcare, information systems, and information technology have influenced the evolving role of healthcare information systems and related technology, and this book will help bring the field up to date."

Online communities are among the most obvious manifestations of social networks based on new media technology. Facilitating ad-hoc communication and leveraging collective intelligence by matching similar or related users have become important success factors in almost every successful business plan. Researchers are just beginning to understand virtual communities and collaborations among participants currently proliferating across the world. Virtual Communities, Social Networks and Collaboration covers cutting edge research topics of utmost real-world importance in the specific domain of social networks. This volume focuses on exploring issues relating to the design, development, and outcomes from electronic groups and online communities, including: - The implications of social networking, - Understanding of how and why knowledge is shared among participants, - What leads to participation, effective collaboration, co-creation and innovation, - How organizations can better utilize the potential benefits of communities in both internal operations, marketing, and new product development.

Recent developments in e-health have enhanced the healthcare industry as well as expanded the role of medical informatics. These emerging innovations have not only given patients the opportunity for quality of life improvement, but also opened the door to health communication exploration. The Handbook of Research on Distributed Medical Informatics and E-Health provides comprehensive coverage of the most important issues, concepts, new trends, and advanced technologies in healthcare. This enhanced resource of over 35 articles from 84 international experts contributes a compendium of terms, definitions, and explanations for academicians and health professionals worldwide.

Improving the quality of life for the disabled and elderly is a pressing issue for today s European societies, as Europe, and industrialized countries worldwide, are confronted with a demographic shift. Researchers are looking toward Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) as the solution to this problem. Wireless Technologies for Ambient Assisted Living and Healthcare: Systems and Applications provides a compendium of terms, definitions, and explanations of concepts and processes within the area of AAL. It focuses on innovative wireless solutions for smart home environments, which will positively contribute to independent living and quality of life for disabled and elderly individuals, as they rely less on caretakers and more on technology. Other topics include information and communication technologies related to health, new developments in distributed applications and interoperable systems, applications and services, wireless technologies and architectures for health monitoring systems, and wireless communication and sensor networks in smart living space.

Web-based applications provide the power of desktop and server applications with the exibility and accessibility of the web. Using web browsers, users can securely access applications from anywhere within the reach of the company intranet or extranet. The special issue strives to explore the advanced web-based information systems and database applications in healthcare area. Healthcare organizations are undergoing major reorganizations and adjustments to meet the increasing demands of improved healthcare access and quality, as well as lowered costs. As the use of information technology to process medical data increases, much of the critical information necessary to meet these challenges is being stored in digital format. Web-enabled information technologies can provide the means for greater access and more effective integration of healthcare information from disparate computer applications and other information resources. This book presents studies from leading researchers and practitioners focusing on the current challenges, directions, trends, and opportunities associated with heal- care organizations and their strategic use of web-enabled technologies. Managing healthcare information systems with web-enabled technologies is an excellent ve- cle for understanding current and potential uses of Internet technology in the broad areas of healthcare and medical applications.