The aims of the project were as follows:
- observe and understand how and to what extent new e-health technologies generate, alter or consolidate communities of practice and their members’ knowledge;
- understand how the technological artifact telemedicine reinforces existing practices and creates new ones (or a mix of them), and through what power dynamics the new practices are codified in the community’s collective knowledge;
- understand the distribution of knowledge in the professional community observed, and how this moulds professional relationships and dynamics, as well as the tensions, conflicts and strategic games that arise when telemedicine technologies are introduced.
The first stage of the research took the form of case studies. The aim was to observe and analyse the adoption of innovative e-health tools. Used at this stage was a mix of qualitative research methods, including participant observation, ethnographic interviews, ‘interviews with doubles’, and comparative case studies. The research was conducted in cycles, and therefore with reiterated data gathering, interpretation, sharing of results with informants, and identification of further focuses of inquiry.
The first stage of research divided between two lines of inquiry centred on the two main components of the health service: the hospital and local health centres. The first line of inquiry analysed telemedicine as a way to coordinate "centres of expertise" and local health centres.
The second concentrated on the effects of introducing e-health technology into community health services. The initial technological and organizational object was in this case tele-cardiology, one of the most widespread telemedicine applications based mainly on the delivery of specialist services by centres of expertise to general practitioners or local health centres.
Outcomes:
- the research reports on the two lines of inquiry;
- papers given to workshops and conferences, as well as publications relative to the ethnographic observation report and analysis of the interview texts.
Researchers: Silvia Gherardi (coordinator), Davide Nicolini (referent), Attila Bruni, Rino Fasol, Antonio Strati. Period: 2001 - 2004
Funding: Autonomous Province of Trento