Researchers have long debated the effectiveness of electronic communication for getting work done in organizations, with many arguing that face-to-face interaction is key to high quality work and... Show More

Researchers have long debated the effectiveness of electronic communication for getting work done in organizations, with many arguing that face-to-face interaction is key to high quality work and desired outcomes. Yet in healthcare quality improvement (QI) collaboratives, membership is frequently comprised of individuals from different, geographically dispersed organizations. This study examines the relationship between electronic and face-to-face interaction and the outcomes of a specific QI collaborative, the Empira Fall Prevention project in Minnesota. Outside of regularly scheduled meetings, the level of electronic communication reported by participants was associated with better outcomes in terms of reducing the percentage of new falls in facilities, along with other measures of effectiveness. In-person communication outside of meetings was related to subjective measures of success. The findings suggest ways in which collaboratives and members can leverage different modes of communication to maximize the benefits derived from participation.

Despite many advances in stroke care treatment, there is substantial room for improvement in quality of care for stroke patients. In an attempt to disseminate up-to-date quality information and... Show More

Despite many advances in stroke care treatment, there is substantial room for improvement in quality of care for stroke patients. In an attempt to disseminate up-to-date quality information and evidence-based best practices of stroke care, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)and the VHA Stroke QUERI implemented an innovative web-based toolkit tailored for providers and program planners interested in improving stroke care quality. This study evaluated the VA Stroke QUERI Toolkit to determine its most useful aspects and those that require improvement. In-depth qualitative interviews (n = 48) were conducted with a geographically dispersed sample of clinicians and program planners throughout the VHA system. Findings suggest the Stroke QUERI toolkit was perceived as an effective, efficient and user-friendly site but knowledge of the toolkit continues to be initiated and shared mainly through individuals and small groups. To achieve greater impact a comprehensive set of strategies designed to encourage broader uptake is required.

This paper describes the opportunities for promoting collaborative research and improving rural health care delivery by the implementation of REDCap software. In the era of advanced technologies... Show More

This paper describes the opportunities for promoting collaborative research and improving rural health care delivery by the implementation of REDCap software. In the era of advanced technologies, rapid development and dissemination of electronic health data may be possible. Health data are accessed by collaborating researchers in various academic disciplines through the Internet. Community-based approaches to health care delivery through the mobile health clinics may be integrated into the development and utilization of databases through REDCap to improve rural health. Multifunctional features of REDCap provide useful tools in various stages of health care delivery planning that support both research and operational endeavors. The authors will discuss potential usage of REDCap using an existing mobile health clinic in South Central Kentucky as a primary source of data, and describe how health data may be used in conjunction with REDCap with the goal of improving the health of rural communities in South Central Kentucky.

Many communities are responding to population aging by investing in ways to make their cities more “age-friendly.” A key component of this effort revolves around collaborative communication... Show More

Many communities are responding to population aging by investing in ways to make their cities more “age-friendly.” A key component of this effort revolves around collaborative communication strategy. This article reviews the World Health Organization (WHO) efforts through its Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities to engage and assist cities in planning for the future. In collaboration with partners from developed and developing countries, WHO identified features of age-friendly cities in eight domains: outdoor spaces; transportation; housing; social participation; respect and social inclusion; civic participation and employment; communication and information; and community support and health services. The author discusses how one city, Bowling Green, KY, is implementing the WHO framework. Particular attention is paid to how strategies are being developed to increase communication and information sharing around the last domain, health care. This article concludes with implications for using online modalities to enhance planning for age-friendly communities.

Online forums offer researchers opportunities to investigate communities in unobtrusive ways to understand better the experiences, concerns, and stories of those who contribute. In this exploratory... Show More

Online forums offer researchers opportunities to investigate communities in unobtrusive ways to understand better the experiences, concerns, and stories of those who contribute. In this exploratory study, the authors analyze content from one online nursing community to highlight the breadth of topics being discussed outside of the nursing workplace but within the nursing community (e.g. topics, that when taken together, begin to structure a collective narrative for this on-line community). Then, the authors explore one specific topic being discussed by this nursing community, nurse bullying, in an effort to better understand how the current nursing literature’s coverage of the topic compares with the discussion emerging from this on-line community. Finally, suggestions for using on-line forums as research sites are discussed.