What is the primary goal of "desktop medicine," which uses information technology in health care?

The primary goal of "desktop medicine" is to help track patients through their plan of care. This approach utilizes information technology to streamline and enhance the management of patient information, allowing healthcare providers to maintain detailed records of patients' medical histories, treatment plans, and progress over time. By integrating digital tools, providers can more effectively coordinate care, identify gaps in treatment, and ensure that patients are receiving appropriate follow-up and support.

This tracking is crucial as it enables healthcare providers to monitor patient adherence to their treatment plans, facilitate communication between patients and clinicians, and ultimately improve health outcomes. The emphasis on tracking patients aligns with the goals of improved continuity of care and patient engagement in their health management.

Other options, while related to aspects of healthcare delivery, do not fundamentally encapsulate the primary goal of desktop medicine. For instance, recruiting prospective health plan subscribers focuses more on marketing and enrollment strategies rather than patient care management. Encouraging patient self-diagnosis using the Internet may lead to misinformation and is not a central goal of desktop medicine, which is designed to enhance professional oversight rather than rely solely on patient initiatives. Gathering health status metrics for large patient populations, while valuable for public health initiatives, does not specifically address the individual tracking and care coordination that desktop medicine emphasizes