Betsy Weaver, EdD Electronic patient education and
communications, such as email, text messaging, and social media,
are on the rise in healthcare today. This article explores
potential uses of technology to seek solutions in healthcare for
such challenges as modifying behaviors related to chronic
conditions, improving efficiency, and decreasing costs. A brief
discussion highlights the role of technologies in healthcare
informatics and considers two theoretical bases for technology
implementation. Discussion focuses more extensively on the
ability and advantages of electronic communication technology,
such as e-mail, social media, text messaging, and electronic
health records, to enhance patient-provider e-communications in
nursing today. Effectiveness of e-communication in healthcare is
explored, including recent and emerging applications designed to
improve patient–provider connections and review of current
evidence supporting positive outcomes. The conclusion addresses
the vision of nurses’ place in the van