eReadiness Assessment A Health Perspective

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e-Readiness Assessment- A Health Perspective -
Global e-Health Research and Training
Program  Health Telematics Unit
www.ucalgary.ca/telehealth

• Dr. Shariq Khoja MD, MS, PhD Student
• Global e-Health Research and Training Program
• Health Telematics Unit, University of Calgary,
• Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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e-Readiness- Definition -

• e-Readiness
• The degree to which a community is prepared to
  participate in the networked world.
• Measured by assessing the communitys relative
  advancement in the areas that are most critical
  for Information and Communications Technology
  (ICT) adoption and most important applications of
  ICT.
• Source Center of International Developments
  Readiness for the networked world

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e-Readiness- e-Readiness Assessment -

• A method to assess if a community or institution
  is prepared to respond to a pre-identified
  problem, through ICT.
• It is NOT classical needs-assessment which
  identifies the issues or problems.
• A strategy to identify gaps in the ability of a
  community or institution to implement an
  e-health solution to its problems.

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e-Readiness- Importance -

• Has high value
• For both the planners of an activity and the
  participating communities.
• Avoids delays and disappointments
• Identifies any lack of preparedness of a
  community to implement a virtual response at an
  early stage.
• Avoids huge losses in time, money and effort.
• Can prepare remote communities in developing
  countries, in order to reduce the digital divide.

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e-Readiness- Importance -

• Readiness is
• An integral and preliminary step in successful
  adoption of an innovation.
• (CANARIE report, 2002).
• Required to successfully initiate a change
  process

Pre- contemplation
Contemplation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
Readiness
Transtheoretical model of Behavioral Change
(Richard W Scholl, 2002)
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e-Readiness- Tools for e-Readiness Assessment -

• 22 e-readiness tools available on
  www.bridges.org.
• Some important ones are
• Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPPs) -
  Readiness Guide for Living in a Networked World.
• Crenshaw and Robinsons Cyber-space and Post
  Industrial Transformations Cross-network
  Analysis of Internet.
• Center of International Development (CIDs)
  Readiness for the Networked World A Guide for
  Developing Countries.

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e-Readiness- CIDs Guide for Developing
Countries -

• Creator Center of International Development
  (CID) at Harvard University - 2000
  (www.readinessguide.org)
• Goal To systemically organize the assessment of
  factors determining the network readiness of a
  community in the developing world.
• Standards e-Ready society has
• Necessary physical infrastructure.
• Integrated current ICTs throughout communities
  and government
• Strong telecommunications competition
• Independent regulations with commitment to
  universal access
• No limits on trade or foreign investments in ICT

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e-Readiness- CIDs Developing Country Guide -

• Measures
• 19 different categories covering availability,
  speed, and quality of network access use of ICT
  in schools, the workplace, economy, government
  and everyday life ICT policies ICT training
  programs and the diversity of organizations.
• Results
• CIDs grid
• 5 groupings Access, Learning, Society, Economy
  and Policies).
• 4 stages of advancement in each of 19 categories

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e-Health Readiness- Definition -

• e-Health Readiness
• Related to, but different from, e-readiness
• Defined as The degree to which users, health
  care organizations, and the health system itself,
  are prepared to participate and succeed with
  e-health implementation.
• (CANARIE- report, 2002)
• Current activity
• Efforts underway to develop assessment tools for
  e-health / telehealth readiness.

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e-Health Readiness- Current Tools -

• Lead organization
• Health Telematics Unit, University of Calgary
• Activity
• Development of Telehealth Readiness assessment
  tools for organizations and practitioners in the
  developed world. (Jennett P, 2003).
• Key Components
• a) Organizations Core-readiness
• b) Organizations engagement / planning
  readiness
• c) Workplace environment readiness

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e-Health Readiness- Tool for Developing
Countries -

• Issue
• At this time there are no e-health readiness
  tools for developing countries
• Study Goal
• Develop tools appropriate for developing
  countries
• Study Team
• Collaboration of HTU, Supercourse and
  Institutions in Pakistan.
• Setting
• To be tested in Pakistan using Supercourse

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e-Health Readiness- Assessment in Pakistan -
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e-Health Readiness- Assessment in Pakistan -

• Process
• Building partnerships with the medical colleges
  and universities in Pakistan.
• Collectively develop an e-health readiness
  assessment tool for Supercourse.
• Test the tool in various medical colleges in
  Pakistan.
• Finalize a culturally sensitive tool for e-health
  readiness that can be used by participating
  institutions and Supercourse for other programs.

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e-Health Readiness- Proposed Tool for Developing
Countries -

• 5 Components will be assessed
• Core readiness
• Cultural readiness (Access)
• Learning (Training in Media)
• Society (Internet use and interaction)
• Policy (at institutional and government levels)

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Core Readiness- Component I -

• Intended to measure basic characteristics of the
  target population
• Identification of need
• Dissatisfaction with the status quo
• Awareness
• Comfort with language, and
• Comfort with technology

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Cultural Readiness - Component II -

• Intended to measure the minimum necessary access
  to adequate network infrastructure
• Speed (bandwidth) and quality of Internet
• Service and support
• Hardware and software
• Internet availability and affordability
• Regular usage of computer and internet

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Learning Readiness- Component III -

• Intended to measure the minimum required
  knowledge and training in the community to use
  ICT
• An institutions access to ICT
• Use of ICT to enhance education
• The ICT workforce in the community

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Society Readiness- Component IV -

• Intended to measure the Communitys use of ICT in
  regular activities
• Online communication
• Availability of locally relevant content
• Use of ICT in everyday life

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Policy Readiness- Component V -

• Intended to measure creation of an enabling
  environment and culture at institutional and
  government levels
• ICT (telecommunications) regulations
• Ethics
• Mandatory courses and increasing availability
• Influence of HFA over use of technology

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References

• Bridges.org Spanning the International Digital
  Divide. www.bridges.org.
• CIDs Readiness for the Networked World A Guide
  for Developing Countrieswww.readinessguide.org.
• CANARIE report Framework for Rural and Remote
  Readiness in Telehealth. June 2002.

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Acknowledgements

• Dr. Richard Scott. Associate Professor and
  Harkness Associate. Global e-Health Research and
  Training Program, University of Calgary, Calgary,
  Alberta, Canada.
• Ronald E. LaPorte. Director, Disease Monitoring
  and Telecommunications. WHO Collaborating Center.
  University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA., USA
• Dr Sunita Dodani. Department of Epidemiology,
  Graduate School of Public Health. Pittsburgh,
  PA., USA