Workshops
Past, Present, and Future Impacts of Communication Technologies on Healthcare Communities
Brief Summary of Workshop for Program
In the course of the last two decades, we have seen incredible advancements in the use of communication technologies within the healthcare industry. These technologies have enormous potential to enhance many different sectors within the healthcare community such as promoting patient data availability and access to healthcare providers as well as improving the care of specialized communities of individuals including those with low literacy as well as remote/underserved groups in developing countries. This workshop is devoted to exploring the applications of communication technology in healthcare that have the potential to build and enhance communities of healthcare providers and patients. In addition to exploring different applications, we will also focus on reviews of pertinent research findings, culminating in an interactive discussion between workshop participants focused on setting an agenda for future research that will help to improve the delivery of care and health related information to these specialized communities.
Themes of the Workshop
This workshop proposes three themes:
- Applications of current communication technologies in healthcare such as telemedicine and eHealth endeavors, including specialized telemedicine programs, electronic medical records, online health information for low literate populations, the use of online support groups, etc.
- Pertinent findings from research conducted on the use of communication technologies in healthcare. Topics include efficacy of technologies, patient and provider acceptance, and possible and realized barriers to implementation and adoption.
- Determining the future of the use of communication technologies in healthcare communities. This theme will be addressed through an interactive discussion between presenters and workshop participants with the goal in mind of setting a research agenda for future applications that will help improve the delivery of care and health-related information to specialized communities.
Main Activities and Goals
The goal of this workshop is threefold. First of all, our goal is to present participants with an overview of the current state of communication technologies used in healthcare communities and examine how these technologies lead to the creation of new types of nontraditional health communities and how they sustain and reshape these new communities, as well as traditional communities, over time. Secondly, we wish to present a summary of the research findings that pertain to communication technologies in healthcare. Research findings to be discussed will include the efficacy of these technologies, patient and provider acceptance of technologies, and possible and realized barriers to the implementation and adoption of communication technologies in healthcare. Finally, our goal is to collectively develop a research agenda for future investigations of communication technologies in healthcare communities through an interactive discussion between workshop presenters and participants. These goals will be met through presentations by workshop hosts as well as an interactive discussion between presenters and participants.
Background and Contact Information of the Organizers
Pamela Whitten, PhD
Michigan State University
Pamela Whitten, Ph.D., is an assistant dean in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences as well as a professor in the Department of Telecommunications, Information Studies, and Media at Michigan State University. Dr. Whitten’s research focuses on the use of technology in health care with a specific interest in telehealth and its impact on the delivery of health care services and education.
Michael Mackert, PhD
University of Texas at Austin
Michael Mackert, PhD is an assistant professor in the Department of Advertising at the University of Texas at Austin. His primary research interest is telemedicine, the provision of healthcare from a distance via telecommunication technology. He is also interested in health communication, with a particular focus on how trust plays a role in the communication process. Other interests include health literacy and online communities.
Lorraine Buis, MSI
Michigan State University
Lorraine Buis is a doctoral student in the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media at Michigan State University. Her primary research interests focus on telecommunication technologies as a tool for social support and healthcare delivery as well as the use of information in healthcare settings. Lorraine has a specific interest in the development and maintenance of online health-related support communities. Maximum Number of Participants in the Workshop: 50
Means of Soliciting Participants
In addition to the previously mentioned workshop organizers, we will be recruiting additional participants through a call for abstracts seeking individuals who have conducted work in the field of communication technologies in healthcare communities. This call will be distributed to individuals who have already submitted papers to the conference. In addition, we will be distributing the call to various listservs focused on topics related to the workshop.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
We are seeking abstracts for additional participants in a workshop devoted to the use and impact of communication technologies in healthcare communities to be presented at the 3rd International Conference on Communities and Technologies Conference. In the course of the last two decades, we have seen incredible advancements in the use of communication technologies within the healthcare industry. These technologies have enormous potential to enhance many different sectors within the healthcare community such as promoting patient data availability and access to healthcare providers as well as improving the care of specialized communities of individuals including those with low literacy as well as remote/underserved groups in developing countries. This workshop is devoted to exploring the applications of communication technology in healthcare that have the potential to build and enhance communities of healthcare providers and patients. In addition to exploring different applications, we will also focus on reviews of pertinent research findings, culminating in an interactive discussion between workshop participants focused on setting an agenda for future research that will help to improve the delivery of care and health related information to these specialized communities. Abstracts should be sent to Lorraine Buis, workshop coordinator, at buisl AT msu.edu by midnight, March 30, 2007. Abstracts should be no more than 300 words long and should be focused on communication technologies in healthcare and their impact on one or more healthcare communities.
Method of Selecting Participants
A review panel will identify appropriate participants for this workshop and notify the authors of their acceptance. Abstracts will be judged on the appropriateness in regards to the identified workshop topic as well as quality of work.