Publications (49) View all
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Article: Recommendations for the Design, Implementation and Evaluation of Social Support in Online Communities, Networks, and Groups.
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ABSTRACT: A new model of health care is emerging in which individuals can take charge of their health by connecting to online communities and social networks for personalized support and collective knowledge. Web 2.0 technologies expand the traditional notion of online support groups into a broad and evolving range of informational, emotional, as well as community-based concepts of support. In order to apply these technologies to patient-centered care, it is necessary to incorporate more inclusive conceptual frameworks of social support and community-based research methodologies. This paper introduces a conceptualization of online social support, reviews current challenges in online support research, and outlines six recommendations for the design, evaluation, and implementation of social support in online communities, networks, and groups. The six recommendations are illustrated by CanConnect, an online community for cancer survivors in Middle Tennessee. These recommendations address the interdependencies between online and real-world support and emphasize an inclusive framework of interpersonal and community-based support. The applications of these six recommendations are illustrated through a discussion of online support for cancer survivors.Journal of Biomedical Informatics 04/2013; · 1.79 Impact Factor -
Article: Mediation of adoption and use: a key strategy for mitigating unintended consequences of health IT implementation.
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ABSTRACT: Without careful attention to the work of users, implementation of health IT can produce new risks and inefficiencies in care. This paper uses the technology use mediation framework to examine the work of a group of nurses who serve as mediators of the adoption and use of a barcode medication administration (BCMA) system in an inpatient setting. The study uses ethnographic methods to explore the mediators' work. Data included field notes from observations, documents, and email communications. This variety of sources enabled triangulation of findings between activities observed, discussed in meetings, and reported in emails. Mediation work integrated the BCMA tool with nursing practice, anticipating and solving implementation problems. Three themes of mediation work include: resolving challenges related to coordination, integrating the physical aspects of BCMA into everyday practice, and advocacy work. Previous work suggests the following factors impact mediation effectiveness: proximity to the context of use, understanding of users' practices and norms, credibility with users, and knowledge of the technology and users' technical abilities. We describe three additional factors observed in this case: 'influence on system developers,' 'influence on institutional authorities,' and 'understanding the network of organizational relationships that shape the users' work.' Institutionally supported clinicians who facilitate adoption and use of health IT systems can improve the safety and effectiveness of implementation through the management of unintended consequences. Additional research on technology use mediation can advance the science of implementation by providing decision-makers with theoretically durable, empirically grounded evidence for designing implementations.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 05/2012; 19(6):1043-9. · 3.61 Impact Factor -
Article: The science behind health information technology implementation: understanding failures and building on successes.
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ABSTRACT: Everyone attending the AMIA conference has likely either heard about or had firsthand experience of a failed health information technology implementation. The line dividing failed implementations from successful ones frequently seems perilously thin, dependent on people and organizational factors as much as on technology design. What implementation lessons have informatics researchers and practitioners learned from prior failures and successes? Can the research domain of Implementation Science assist practitioners to improve implementation planning and execution? Implementation Science draws on multiple disciplines and perspectives (e.g., clinical, organizational, engineering, behavioral, social science) to understand technology adoption, explore patterns of technology use, and define organizational strategies for sustainable deployment. Through two case study presentations and a series of questions, our presentation will actively engage the audience in a discussion of what an evidence-based approach to implementation might mean at different institutions and explore practical implications of Implementation Science for decision-makers and technology implementers. The presentation will translate research on implementation into implementation lessons and practical strategies for practitioners.AMIA ... Annual Symposium proceedings / AMIA Symposium. AMIA Symposium 01/2012; 2012:14-6. -
Article: Effective Strategies for Implementation and Evaluation of Public e-Health Innovations.
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ABSTRACT: The creation of a new public e-health product is no guarantee that it will be used. Developing an implementation strategy is crucial for success. This paper presents a model for both an implementation and an evaluation process. It offers strategies for the multiple phases of an implementation process (foundational concepts, actual implementation, and the on-going use process). It also offers evaluation considerations that parallel each of the implementation phases.Studies in health technology and informatics 01/2012; 172:45-53. -
Article: Barriers and facilitators to the use of computer-based intensive insulin therapy.
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ABSTRACT: Computerized clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) for intensive insulin therapy (IIT) are increasingly common. However, recent studies question IIT's safety and mortality benefit. Researchers have identified factors influencing IIT performance, but little is known about how workflow affects computer-based IIT. We used ethnographic methods to evaluate IIT CDSS with respect to other clinical information systems and care processes. We conducted direct observation of and unstructured interviews with nurses using IIT CDSS in the surgical and trauma intensive care units at an academic medical center. We observed 49h of intensive care unit workflow including 49 instances of nurses using IIT CDSS embedded in a provider order entry system. Observations focused on the interaction of people, process, and technology. By analyzing qualitative field note data through an inductive approach, we identified barriers and facilitators to IIT CDSS use. Barriers included (1) workload tradeoffs between computer system use and direct patient care, especially related to electronic nursing documentation, (2) lack of IIT CDSS protocol reminders, (3) inaccurate user interface design assumptions, and (4) potential for error in operating medical devices. Facilitators included (1) nurse trust in IIT CDSS combined with clinical judgment, (2) nurse resilience, and (3) paper serving as an intermediary between patient bedside and IIT CDSS. This analysis revealed sociotechnical interactions affecting IIT CDSS that previous studies have not addressed. These issues may influence protocol performance at other institutions. Findings have implications for IIT CDSS user interface design and alerts, and may contribute to nascent general CDSS theory.International Journal of Medical Informatics 12/2011; 80(12):863-71. · 2.41 Impact Factor
