Will wifi infrastructure make a difference to meeting government e-health goals? Lucy Firth University of Melbourne 2006 Taipei Digital Cities Conference Taipei, June 2006

E-Health policies (Taipei) Integrated healthcare resources Health information online – communication Check own personal health records Epidemic information and notification Check up on disadvantaged (e.g. elderly)

E-Health policies (Melbourne) efficient use of resources (such as removal of unnecessary administrative burdens, particularly for clinical staff) easy and pervasive availability of information at the right location, at the right time and in the right form to support decisions and associated activities transparent continuity of care underpinned by appropriate communication between discrete service providers use of new technologies to improve the quality and outcomes of care.

E-Health policies (generic) Not simply a tool for conventional practice A tool to enable patient centered care A tool to promote health rather than health care (medical model) A tool to shift burden of care to community and to alleviate that burden through efficiency and effectiveness

Wifi and health policy Recognition: that healthy citizens are mobile, that illness does not necessary imply locational restrictions, that health workers need more than islands of technology, and that stakeholders are technology savvy in a world of pervasive technology all suggests that wifi will bring benefits of anywhere anytime health support.

Patient’s clinical journey

Self help/ Prevention

Consultation

Conclusion Value of wifi is most apparent at three stages along the patient clinical journey Self help/health maintenance Consultation In hospital care In the short to medium term, the benefit comes mostly from health worker mobility The emerging pervasive technology society and co-emerging patient-centered health focus suggests a growing role for wifi in health.