Bridging the Digital Divide: Reaching Vulnerable Populations
- Betty L Chang,
- Suzanne Bakken,
- S Scott Brown,
- Thomas K Houston,
- Gary L Kreps,
- Rita Kukafka,
- Charles Safran,
- P Zoe Stavri
- Affiliations of the authors: University of California-Los Angeles, CA (BLC); Columbia University, New York, NY (SB, RK); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA (SSB); University of Alabama-Birmingham, AL (TKH); National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (GLK); Clinician Support Technology, Newton, MA & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (CS); Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR (PZS)
- Correspondence and reprints: Suzanne Bakken, RN, DNSc, Columbia University School of Nursing, Mailbox 6, New York, NY 10032; e-mail: <suzanne.bakken{at}dbmi.columbia.edu>
- Received 12 January 2004
- Accepted 30 June 2004
Abstract
The AMIA 2003 Spring Congress entitled “Bridging the Digital Divide: Informatics and Vulnerable Populations” convened 178 experts including medical informaticians, health care professionals, government leaders, policy makers, researchers, health care industry leaders, consumer advocates, and others specializing in health care provision to underserved populations. The primary objective of this working congress was to develop a framework for a national agenda in information and communication technology to enhance the health and health care of underserved populations. Discussions during four tracks addressed issues and trends in information and communication technologies for underserved populations, strategies learned from successful programs, evaluation methodologies for measuring the impact of informatics, and dissemination of information for replication of successful programs. Each track addressed current status, ideal state, barriers, strategies, and recommendations. Recommendations of the breakout sessions were summarized under the overarching themes of Policy, Funding, Research, and Education and Training. The general recommendations emphasized four key themes: revision in payment and reimbursement policies, integration of health care standards, partnerships as the key to success, and broad dissemination of findings including specific feedback to target populations and other key stakeholders.
Footnotes
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Committee members Suzanne Bakken, RN, DNSc, S. Scott Brown, MPH, Thomas K. Houston, MD, MPH, Gary L. Kreps, PhD, Rita Kukafka, DrPH, MA, Charles Safran, MD, and P. Zoe Stavri, PhD, MLS are listed in alphabetical order. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of any U.S. agencies or institutions but rather the consensus of the participants at the meeting.
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The Spring Congress was supported in part by grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, and the National Cancer Institute. A grant from the Pfizer Health Literacy Initiative supported Mark V. Williams' presentation on “Health Literacy: Can Technology Help Patients Understand?”
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The program committee thanks the facilitators for the breakout sessions: Margaret Cashen, Jonathan Crossette, Karen B. Eden, Ben S. Gerber, Denise Goldsmith, Kenneth W. Goodman, John Holmes, Deborah A. Lewis, David R. Little, Linda Neuhauser, Daniel Z. Sands, Laura Schopp, and Lisa A. Sutherland.
