Neil
In answer to your question about this event – "were there any insights on *how* to move forward collectively towards universal access to reliable healthcare information?", I would say that most of the presentations were oriented to the more general issue of how to develop the 'digital ecosystem' (standards, culture, network access etc) to enable digital transformation of health care, without much discussion of digital's contribution to the specific aim of universal access to reliable healthcare information. As I mentioned, the striking exception was the speaker from Google/YouTube ( Dr. Garth Graham, their Director and Global Head of Healthcare and Public Health ), who noted that information was a key determinant of health and in empowering citizens and patients to make healthcare decisions.
The main thought that I had about this was whether, while bearing in mind concerns about digital behemoths like Google, there is some acceptable way in which HIFA could engage with Google (in the first instance perhaps with the speaker mentioned above) given their stance on the importance of taking a 'citizen perspective' on health information, (e.g. perhaps they could become one of HIFA's supporting organisations)?
Geoff
HIFA profile: Geoff Royston is an Independent Health Analyst and Researcher, former Head of Strategic Analysis and Operational Research in the Department of Health for England, and Past President of the UK Operational Research Society. His work has focused on informing the design, implementation and evaluation of policies and programmes in health and social care, and on fostering the capabilities of others to work in these areas. Associated activities have included modelling for understanding the performance of complex systems, analysis and communication of risk, and horizon scanning and futures thinking. He has also worked on information and communication technology in the health sector, notably in leading the design and national launch of the telephone and online health information and advice service NHS Direct. He has served on both scientific and medical UK Research Council panels, and as an impact assessor for the UK higher education Research Excellence Framework. He is a member of the editorial board for the journal Health Care Management Science and in 2012 was Guest Editor for its special issue on Global Health. He has been a consultant for the World Health Organisation, is a long standing member of the EURO Working Group on Operational Research Applied to Health Services, and is an expert adviser to the mHIFA (mobile Healthcare Information for All) programme. http://www.hifa.org/projects/mobile-hifa-mhifa He is also a member of the main HIFA Steering Group and the HIFA working group on Evaluating the Impact of Healthcare Information. http://www.hifa.org/support/members/geoff geoff.royston AT gmail.com
