I am taking the course EDCI337 to become more experienced in creating and connecting online. I appreciate the value of online learning and the ability to apply these skills in a variety of fields, especially in the current age of technology where online meeting spaces are becoming integrated in many aspects of our lives. Online learning is often discussed in the context of academics and employment, however, I am particularly interested in the field of healthcare and how multimedia platforms can be used to enhance healthcare delivery and patient experience.
As shown in this video, telehealth can be a great tool to provide patients with care, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the increasing popularity of telehealth, it is interesting to consider if this type of digital engagement could be utilized in other medical settings as well, such as rehabilitative medicine or mental health. While not all aspects of care can be delivered online and many in-person aspects cannot be replaced, it may reduce barriers and provide care to a wider reach in our communities. Through this course, I hope to learn more about how people connect and interact digitally and how to enhance one’s experience online.
Great intro Darby. I appreciate that your focus differs from mine (healthcare vs. education) because it will provide me with a broader scope of the wide-reaching aspects of online learning, delivery and experience. Telehealth did not appear to be a viable option pre-pandemic but has now become a norm for many doctors (I personally have utilized it many times). Something I am wondering after reading your post is if the quality and continuity of care can be maintained in a virtual environment? Also, with the lack of direct connection with their medical professionals – will/do some people resist virtual appointments? Looking forward to reading more of your posts.
Hi Darby – interesting post! I really like your example of telehealth. I worked on a project a while ago that looked at managing chronic health conditions through an interactive program. Patients would upload their data and the system would flag certain patients whose readings met specific criteria for follow up by a nurse. In the meantime they would also be sent advice and information about how to manage their specific condition. It was Scott Lear’s group at St Paul’s Hospital. The design incorporated a lot of the principles that we’re talking about in this course including coherence and spatial contiguity – the interface really had to reduce extraneous load as much as possible in order to get long term compliance from patients. Can you think of any other online health systems that are designed that way? Or that could use some redesign with that in mind?
Wonderful post Darby. I did not know about telehealth until after your post! I love the idea of how a pandemic can bring out new technology and life changing advancements in the way everyone communicates. It also solves a big problem of the long waits in emergency post and pre pandemic. Similar to MsHiscox’s comment I wonder what the cons of an virtual environment could be? For example could diagnosing patients symptoms be less accurate due to it being virtual which could ultimately lead to misdiagnosing the patient? I really enjoyed the post as it showed me a lot of new things I did not know existed before.