Reinvention of light microscopy: Array microscopy and ultrarapidly scanned virtual slides for diagnostic pathology and medical education

The electronic patient health record concept can be taken even further by expanding its scope to include patient healthcare-related education information. This might be accomplished by appending a personal electronic health education portfolio to each electronic health record. Tools would be developed to assist patients in navigating between the information in their linked electronic health records and their personal health education portfolios. Using mass customization techniques, patient information could be continuously updated on an individualized basis. Another futuristic concept is the development of on-line patient self-evaluations. Patient proficiency testing could be used to evaluate the patient’s current capacity for self-help to manage his own healthcare in light of his health status, his environment, and other relevant information.