Champion Networks in Federated Interorganizational Systems: Case Studies in Telemedicine

Champions are critical to the success of an information system implementation. Research shows that success in implementing a large information system may hinge on there being more than one type of champion. This study investigates the types of champions used in federated inter-organizational systems (FIOS) in a state telemedicine context. Case studies were conducted in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin to identify the network of champions in state telemedicine systems. We found that FIOS that relied on a network of champions, including a sponsorship champion at the state level, as well as a technical champion and user champion at site locations, were more successful than those that lacked such a network. We suggest that our model of champions in FIOS applies not only to state telemedicine, but also to any large-scale system implementation spanning a federation of loosely coupled organizations

Evaluating a Web-Based Interface for Internet Telemedicine

The objective is to introduce the usability engineering methodology, heuristic evaluation, to the design and development of a web-based telemedicine system. Using a set of usability criteria, or heuristics, one evaluator examined the Spacebridge to Russia web-site for usability problems. Thirty-four usability problems were found in this preliminary study and all were assigned a severity rating. The value of heuristic analysis in the iterative design of a system is shown because the problems can be fixed before deployment of a system and the problems are of a different nature than those found by actual users of the system. It was therefore determined that there is potential value of heuristic evaluation paired with user testing as a strategy for optimal system performance design

An Internet-Based Telemedicine System in Nigeria

Telecommunication technologies are being used to change the healthcare industry in unprecedented and irreversible ways. These technologies are enabling delivery of healthcare to remotely placed patients and facilitating information exchange between generalists and specialists. For many decades now, the use of advanced telecommunications and information technologies has been investigated in an effort to improve healthcare. In particular, the focus has been centered on telemedicine. Telemedicine has been defined as the delivery of healthcare and the exchange of health information across distances, including all medical activities: making diagnosis, treatment, prevention, education and research (Craig, 1999). Telemedicine is also defined as the use of telecommunication technologies to provide medical information and services (Perednia & Allen, 1995). It may be as simple as two health professionals discussing a patient\u27s case over the telephone, or as sophisticated as using satellite technology to broadcast a consultation between healthcare centres in two countries using videoconferencing equipment. The American Telemedicine Association defines telemedicine as the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communication for health and education of the patient or healthcare providers and for the purpose of improving patient care (ATA, 2001). Wootton (1996) considered telemedicine as a process, rather than a technology: telemedicine connects patients and healthcare professional in a chain of care

Organizational structure of telehealth care : an examination of four types of telemedicine systems

The purpose of this study is to make recommendations for a sustainable telemedicine system by examining the structural attributes of telemedicine across and within different types of organizations. A survey instrument with two categories, background questions and evaluation questions, was developed and used as a guide to interview eight key informants from four different types of telehealth systems. The eight transcribed interviews were coded using NUD*IST qualitative software. Research publications, archival documents, and government reports were collected to triangulate, or cross check, interview data. Multi-case study methodology was used as a guide to design the research, analyze date, compare results, and make recommendations. A telehealth typology is proposed as well as a simplified conceptual telehealth model and a diffusion of telemedicine model. While there are some structural differences among the different types of programs, there are many more similarities. All receive funding fiom multiple sources, and all employ a combination of full and part-time employees. Three core staff categories include administrative, medical, and technical support. Additional categories may include evaluation researchers and project coordinators