Process change
Information communication technologies (ICTs) are now being used extensively for delivery of healthcare. Effective implementation of these technologies in the main care pathways is subject not only to technological change but also, and most importantly, to organisational and cultural change. Whether it is for the delivery of diagnostic news, storage and retrieval of data or communication from a distance, the introduction of ICTs causes dramatic changes to the ecology of healthcare systems and everyday practices. It is our aim to understand the processes of change by employing an empirical as well as an evidence-based perspective. For example, Electronic health records present a quantum leap in knowledge and health information management. They offer unrivalled opportunities for improving the care of patients on an individual and population level through research and evaluation. This stream of work is independent but closely linked with work in other parts of the Department of Primary Care and Social Medicine, such as the Dr Foster Unit. Examples of our work under this stream include development of innovative methodologies for using electronic health records to measure the quality of diabetes care in west London and to examine the impact of NHS reforms on ethnic and socio-economic disparities in health care utilisation and outcomes.
For this reason we work in conjunction with a number of academic institutions, consumer and health organisations as well as partners in the industry to create a framework of knowledge that will inform future initiatives in eHealth.
Current projects include:
- Analyses of doctor-patient communication and socio-organisational change in telemedicine settings.
- A number of Cochrane systematic reviews are underway on the use of email as means of doctor-patient communication.
- A number of Cochrane systematic reviews are being carried out to understand the organisational and communication context of the use of computer-assisted history taking systems.
- Several pilot projects are being facilitated on computer-assisted history taking, computer decision support systems, electronic health records.
Our Unit is an integral part of the Digital Economy initiative currently undertaken by Imperial College.
