Workshop on Interactive Systems in Health Care 2011 - 2011

Summary: A limiting factor to realizing the full potential of health information technology (IT) has been its low level of adoption and use. Research suggests that barriers to health IT adoption and use stem from a disconnect between the features or design of health IT and the needs of health care providers and patients. To better understand and support health care via IT and increase adoption and use, research initiatives are focusing on improving alignment of IT with user needs.

The Workshop on Interactive Systems in Healthcare 2011 (WISH 2011) was intended to enable interdisciplinary dialog on health IT and interactive systems in health care, and to provide a forum for sharing research, experiences, and perspectives that further enable progress in the design and development of health IT. WISH 2011 was held in conjunction with the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) Annual Symposium in Washington, D.C.

WISH is organized and led by co-chairs Drs. Madhu Reddy and Lena Mamykina. A multidisciplinary steering committee including members from the fields of biomedical informatics, public health, policy, and human-computer interaction helped the co-chairs plan the workshop. The steering committee identified and recruited potential speakers, assisted in choosing specific topic areas for presentations, and reviewed and selected submissions for presentation at the workshop. The format of the workshop included keynote speakers; panel discussions; technical presentations on topics such as design, methodology, evaluation, and technology; informal breakout sessions; and poster sessions. Additionally, the workshop included a mentorship program to pair promising junior researchers and students with prominent and experienced senior researchers in a related field.

WISH 2011 will be evaluated by administering online surveys to the workshop participants. Surveys will be sent out later in 2012 and will ask participants what they learned from the workshop, if they found the workshop to be of value, and whether they specifically attended the AMIA Annual Symposium in order to attend the workshop.

Specific Aims:

• Develop research agendas for interactive systems in health care and identify strategies and mechanisms for studying them. (Achieved)
• Discuss and develop consensus around research methodological and technical issues in regards to design and evaluation of interactive systems in health care. (Achieved)
• Establish a new channel for dissemination and implementation of research on interactive systems in health care. (Achieved)
• Provide a forum for developing new partnerships among researchers and stakeholder organizations thereby building their capacity to participate in research activities and using the results of research on interactive systems in health care. (Achieved)
• Establish a mentorship program for junior researchers in the field and provide them with the opportunity to meet with leading researchers in the areas related to interactive systems in health care. (Achieved)

2011 Activities: WISH 2011 was held on October 22 as a 1-day interdisciplinary research symposium in conjunction with the AMIA Annual Symposium. The workshop included keynote presentations, panel discussions, and technical presentations all intended to break down barriers of health IT design, implementation, adoption, and use. One-hundred and ten people from a variety of disciplines attended WISH. Based on the feedback, interest, and value noted in holding this workshop, planning is in progress for WISH to be held again in 2013.

Preliminary Impact and Findings: Four themes were consistently present during the proceedings of WISH 2011: 1) how to foster innovation in health IT; 2) the benefits and challenges of theory-driven health IT design; 3) the adoption and meaningful use of health IT; and 4) conducting interdisciplinary research in health IT. These four themes are described and expanded on in a publication, Designing interactive systems in health care: A report on WISH 2011, authored by the co-chairs and organizer of WISH 2011 and published inInteractions.

Target Population: General

Strategic Goal: Not applicable

Business Goal: Synthesis and Dissemination