I would love to see this paper -- could you email it to me. ? thanks, Madeline


t 10:56 AM 10/10/97 -0700, you wrote:
>This is intended as a public letter to Deborah and those in charge of the
>National Health Population Clearinghouse Initiative.  I am never sure
>whether these letters go where intended.
>
>Deborah rather than answer your questions, I am more concerned to
>understand the aims and objectives of the national initiative.   I am very
>concerned with the use of the term intermediaries in your questions.  I
>have the uneasy feeling that someone believes that a single national
>intermediary can replace the multiple channels that currently exist.  A
>variety of national, provincial-level and local voluntary organizations
>derive much of their support from the role they play in helping people and
>groups access, organize and interpret information.  If a single centre uses
>the new IT to cut out the "middle men" it will be seriously undermining the
>role the voluntary sector plays in developing community responses to
>"information", in generating new information, and in interpreting and
>making relevant information within the local context.
>
>More than a year and a half ago I wrote a paper under contract for Health
>Canada, that, among other things, called for a national consultation on the
>role of new information technology in relation to health promotion and
>public health.  The issue of the impact of centralizing information
>dissemination on the voluntary sector was also raised.  This work somehow
>got lost in Health Canada, in fact HC staff even began calling me to find
>out where  they could get copies of the paper that was in their hands.  I
>am miffed, and I think the inability to keep track of this report should
>raise some questions, but the point is we need to have a full discussion of
>the new information technology and its implications for public health  and
>health promotion.  It can be wonderful or it can be a curse, it depends on
>how we put it to work.  SO BEFORE YOU PUT IN PLACE A NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE
>LETS TALK ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE - THE PLACE OF THE NEW Information
>Technology IN THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH PROMOTION.   Within
>this, we can talk about a clearinghouse.  Health Canada could be of great
>help by financing a national consultation and conference on this.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Dr. Mike Nelson [log in to unmask]
>NHN Consulting Group, Lantzville, BC
>(250) 390-1241
>
>----------
>> From: Deborah Bradley <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Access and Demand for Health Information
>> Date: Friday, October 10, 1997 7:34 AM
>>
>>
> Hi,
>>
>> I'm hoping that you can assist me with the task outlined below.
>>
>> I have been asked to  do a national scan of the current and anticipated
>demand for health information and preferred modes of access for consumers
>and health intermediaries (e.g., policy makers, educators, researchers,
>programmers, media, deliverers of health care).   I am doing this for the
>Demand and Access working group working on a project called National Health
>Population Clearinghouse (working title) for Health Canada.  Demand and
>access is a small piece of a much bigger project looking at providing
>credible, timely and accessible health information to Canadians.
>>
>> I*m hoping that you can help me by taking a few minutes to provide me
>with your  observations and thoughts on access and demand for health
>information by completing the following  questionnaire or relevant parts of
>it.  Of course, the time line is very tight.   I need to have my scan into
>the consultant group by October 22.  If any of you would like to discuss
>the scan further, please call me at 902-368-6527.  Please return replies to
>my address *[log in to unmask]* and not to the list serve.  These are
>fairly general questions so please add as much detail as you would like.
>Thank you in advance.
>>
>>
>> 1.      Please indicate the organization/institution you work with.
>>
>> 2.      Please identify which sector you represent:
>>
>>         __ Government
>>         __ Private
>>         __ University
>>         __ Voluntary Organization
>>         __ Partnership (please specify)
>>         __ Other (please specify)
>>
>> 3.  How do health intermediaries currently access health information
>(e.g., telephone,  Internet, CD ROM, written material, etc.)?   In your
>opinion, which are the preferred modes of access?
>>
>> 4. In your opinion, are existing modes of access adequate for health
>intermediaries?  Why or why not?
>>
>> 5. What changes do you anticipate taking place in the next 3-5 years with
>respect to access to health information for health intermediaries (e.g.,
>what modes of access will they use or want to use to obtain health
>information)?
>>
>> 6.  How do consumers currently access health information (e.g., person to
>person, telephone,  Internet, CD ROM, written material, television, etc.)?
> In your opinion, which are the preferred modes of access?
>>
>> 7. In your opinion, are existing modes of access adequate for consumers?
>  Why or why not?
>>
>> 8. What changes do you anticipate taking place in the next 3-5 years re
>access to  health information for consumers (e.g., what modes of access
>will they use or want to use to obtain health information)?
>>
>> 9.  Where do health intermediaries currently go to obtain health
>information (e.g., libraries, health professionals, health information
>centres, etc.)?
>>
>> 10. Do you think these sources meet health intermediaries* need?  Why or
>why not?
>>
>> 11. Where do you think health intermediaries will want to go to get
>information in the future (e.g., next 3-5 years)?
>>
>> 12.  Where do consumers currently go to obtain health information (e.g.,
>libraries, health professionals, health information centres, information
>kiosks, etc.)?
>>
>> 13. Do you think these sources meet consumers* need? Why or why not?
>>
>> 14. Where do you think consumers will want to go to get information in
>the future (e.g., next 3-5 years)?
>>
>> 15.  Do you anticipate the demand for health information by health
>intermediaries and consumers to remain the same, increase or decrease in
>the future?  Why?
>>
>>
>> Thanks again,
>>
>> Deborah Bradley
>> Health Information Resource Centre
>> 1 Rochford  Street, PO Box 2000
>> Charlottetown, PEI
>> C1A 7N8
>> 902-368-6527 (p)
>> 902-368-6524 (f)
>
>
Madeline Boscoe, Executive Coordinator,
Canadian Women's Health Network
2rd floor - 419 Graham Ave
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C OM3
Phone: 204- 947-2422 ext 122 or 134 Fax: 204-943-3844
www.cwhn.ca  e-mail: [log in to unmask]