She has been researching her treatment options,
trying to understand the implications of her decisions,
so she can make the best choice. At the same
time, she spends considerable time communicating
with her insurance company to determine the extentof her coverage, ensuring that her treatment choices
receive proper authorization, and interpreting the bills
as they arrive. All these activities must be accomplished
while Irene copes with the fear, fatigue, and
nausea associated with her diagnosis and treatment.
This scenario highlights a number of personal
health information management (PHIM) challenges,
including: