Consumer Health Informatics (CHI)
What is behind the term "CHI"?
CHI is a branch of health informatics that focuses on empowering individuals to manage their own health and wellness through information technology. It is a new interdisciplinary field of science and practice that has emerged at the interface of medical (health) informatics, biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, information science and, last but not least, applied informatics (= computing) as it is understood in Central Europe. The area focuses on the key aspects listed below, emphasising the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT).
About our group
Consumer Health Informatics Research Group, established at the Faculty of Informatics and Statistics in 2022, conducts socially-relevant research on digital health. The group’s work is rooted in the tradition of human-centered computing and Human-Computer Interaction. The group spans multiple disciplines, including applied computing, biomedical engineering, and behavioral science.
The Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE), founded in 1953, is the largest public university in the field of economics and business in the Czech Republic. VŠE carries out several interdisciplinary research programs, some of which are closely related to healthcare. These activities include health services research and health economics research, as well as many individual involvements in clinical research by delivering statistical and econometric expertise.
Activities
Our activities are mainly focused on the following three areas.
Research and Development
In the interdisciplinary area between (applied) computer science, social sciences and health sciences, we conduct both traditional empirical research studies and research oriented towards the design of innovative software solutions (so-called Design Science Research)
Teaching
We apply the knowledge from our studies and current scientific literature in teaching at bachelor's and master's level, especially within the programmes Applied Informatics, Information Systems and Technologies, Information Management; we supervise theses at bachelor's and master's level and train PhD students
Consulting
We are able to help with the design, implementation or evaluation of new services and software solutions for eHealth through consultation and specific technical activities (especially software development and testing).
Selected academic references
Demiris, G. (2016). Consumer Health Informatics: Past, Present, and Future of a Rapidly Evolving Domain. Yearbook of Medical Informatics, 25(S 01), S42-S47.
LinkEysenbach, G. (2000). Consumer Health Informatics. BMJ, 320(7251), 1713-1716. Link
Hickmann, E., Richter, P., & Schlieter, H. (2022). All Together Now–Patient Engagement, Patient Empowerment, and Associated Terms in Personal Healthcare. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 1-11. Link
Pandita, D. (2022). Consumer Health Informatics: Engaging and Empowering Patients and Families. In Clinical Informatics Study Guide (pp. 351-374). Springer, Cham. Link
Selected popular references
Digital Healthcare Research (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
Our publications
Oberschmidt, K., Grünloh, C., Doherty, K., Wolkorte, R., Saßmannshausen, S. M., Siering, L., Cajander, A., Dolezel, M., Lifvergren, S., & van Den Driesche, K. (2024). Stakeholder skill training in participatory health research: themes and topics for future research. In Ambient Assisted Living Italian Forum 2024. Link
Dolezel, M., & Smutny, Z. (2023). Adoption of a COVID-19 Contact Tracing App by Czech Youth: Cross-Cultural Replication Study. JMIR Human Factors. 10:e45481. Link
Premanandan S., Ahmad A., Cajander Å., Ågerfalk P., Dolezel, M., van Gemert-Pijnen L. (2023). Designing a Mobile e-Coaching App for Immigrant Informal Caregivers: Qualitative Study Using the Persuasive System Design Model. JMIR MHealth UHealth. 11:e50038. Link
Doležel, M. (2022). Kongres Fóra evropských pacientů (EPF 2021): Pacienti a technologie jako klíčoví hybatelé digitalizace zdravotnictví. Časopis lékařů českých. 2021, roč. 160, č. 7–8, s. 329–331. Link
Doležel, M., & Cajander, Å. (2022). Towards Mapping of Information Technology-Induced Alterations in Online Physicians’ Professional Identities: A Conceptual Framework and Empirical Illustrations from Sweden. In Scandinavian Conference on Health Informatics (pp. 69-76). Link
Oberschmidt, K., Grünloh, C., Doherty, K., Wolkorte, R., Saßmannshausen, S. M., Siering, L., Cajander, A., Dolezel, M., Lifvergren, S., & van Den Driesche, K. (2022). How To Train Your Stakeholders: Skill Training In Participatory Health Research. In Adjunct Proceedings of the 2022 Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference (pp. 1-4). Link
Doležel, M. (2021). Četnost a potenciál využití digitálního zdravotního sebe-sledování (self-tracking) ve věkové skupině mladých dospělých. Praktický lékař, 101(1), s. 48-51. Link
Doležel, M., & Smutny, Z. (2021). Usage of eHealth/mHealth services among young Czech adults and the impact of COVID-19: An explorative survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(13), 7147. Link
Selected thesis of our students
Racek, J. Návrh a ověření mobilní aplikace implementující prvky gamifikace pro zlepšování adherence pacientů s diabetem 1. typu k léčbě [online]. Praha, 2023. Dostupné z: link. Master thesis. Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze. (Práce v roce 2023 získala cenu děkana FIS VŠE)
Davidík, D. Mobilní aplikace pro podporu praxe mindfulness: Dechová a meditační cvičení. Online. Master thesis. Praha: Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze. 2024. Dostupné z: link (Práce v roce 2024 získala cenu děkana FIS VŠE)
Slavev, M. Mobilní aplikace pro podporu praxe mindfulness: Indikátory stresu a angažovanost uživatelů. Online. Master thesis. Praha: Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze. 2024. Dostupné z: link
Cooperation
Department of Human Movement Studies, University of Ostrava.
Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, Sweden.
We are a team of academics and students exploring the potential of information technology in healthcare from an end-user perspective. We are open to collaboration with medical and non-medical healthcare professionals, computer scientists and other experts from workplaces in the Czech Republic and abroad.
He graduated in electrical engineering, computer science and biomedical engineering at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Brno University of Technology (2004, Ing. degree) and received his Ph.D. in Applied Informatics (computing) at the University of Economics in Prague (2017, Ph.D. degree). He has completed internships abroad at the University of Innsbruck (Austria) and Uppsala University (Sweden). He cooperates with the Patient Council of the Minister of Health -- Working Group for eHealth.
He studied computer science and media studies. Habilitated in Applied Informatics (computing) at the University of Economics in Prague (2021, appointed associate professor). His main academic area of interest is social informatics, with many health-oriented aspects intertwined.
She is a PhD student in Applied Informatics (computing). Her dissertation research focuses on the area of information support for medical devices, especially the issue of ensuring traceability of medical devices with the use of information technology by different groups of end users.
Our team
Dr. Michal Doležel
Research Group Lead
doc. Dr. Zdeněk Smutný
Senior researcher
Kateřina Švandová
PhD. student