Digital Health: Experiences, Technologies and Networks

Shakti Singh
Sep 9, 2018 · 2 min read

With the help of Internet, people have been able to access information about health more than ever. For the same reason more and more people are now able to take proactive approach about an illness and are ‘managing their own health and wellbeing’ (O’Mara et al., 2010).

However, Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community faces difficulty to access this information. In order to access this information one has to ‘heavily rely on modern computer and use of keyboard dependent technologies and literacies’ (O’Mara et al., 2010).

The author has also observed that if no proper system is developed to help (CALD) Communities the same technology has an equal potential to bring ‘digital divide’ in healthcare system. The Victorian Government is taking efforts to bridge this gap with a project to empower CALD community to access the information in the right way.

It’s not just the patients who are being benefitted with the revolution in communication technology, the medical fraternity is also finding it useful to develop their skills and provide better treatment. The best example is of the paediatric physiatrist in burn unit, Dr Carolina Camilo from Santiago who developed her skills in rehabilitating burn patients with the help of a Facebook page ‘Physicians for Peace (PFP)’ (cited in fastcompany.com).

Dr Camilo upgraded her skills in a time when no other doctors at the hospitals knew how to prevent patients from scarring and losing the use of their burned limbs (cited in fastcompany.com).

Authors Chung and Kim have identified the role of blogs as a tool for emotional management and information sharing where people share their experiences with like-minded people (patients and their families) in need of that information (Kingston 2006, p. 134).

Through their research, Chung and Kim have also found evidence that “patients who are more

Involved and participate in their treatment decisions have healthier physical and psychological outcomes than those with less involvement”(Kingston 2006, p. 134).

References

O’Mara, B., et al., 2010, Sending the Right Message: ICT Access and Use for Communication Messages of Health & Wellbeing to CALD Communities, Victoria University, p. 1–75

Kingston, L 2006, Illness: Putting It All Online, Not Just about Cancer, Chapter 7, p. 130–151

Thompson, S 2016, How Social Media Is Transforming Medical Care In The Developing World,<https://www.fastcompany.com/3057869/how-social-media-is-transforming-medical-care-in-the-developing-world?partner=rss&utm_content=buffera2b6a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer>