The CCHIR: Researching Web 2.0 & Mobile Technology in HealthcareWith Web 2.0 and mobile technology making their way to the forefront of pharmacology and public health, there has been a growing need for in-depth research into their effects and benefits.
Many pharma companies and healthcare systems are connecting with consumers through mobile apps, social media, and other online platforms, but what do these new systems actually do to improve health literacy and patient education?
It’s questions like this that prompted Fort Lauderdale’s Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy to open America’s first Center for Consumer Health Informatics Research (CCHIR).
The Center’s mission is to “generate discoveries that leverage the potential of consumer health informatics to improve patient health.” They define health informatics as “the field that studies and incorporates patient preferences, behaviors, tools, and technologies in order to help inform their decision making and manage their health.”
The Center conducts research in six main categories—mobile health (mHealth), social media in healthcare, online health information seeking, eHealth/health literacy, public health informatics, and pharmacovigilance.
The CCHIR is currently conducting studies investigating the use of text messaging to improve medication adherence in diabetes and HIV patients. Others studies include inquiries into pharmacists’ use of blogs and social networks, the safety of online health information, the readability of online drug information, the technology used in public health efforts, identifying prescription drug abuse through social media, and more.
As Web 2.0 technology advances, research from institutes like the CCHIR will be extremely valuable for patients, doctors, and pharma companies. Keep an eye out for some interesting studies coming from the Center in the near future.
Until then, we thought we’d share this infographic with you, illustrating the CCHIR’s findings on pharmacist-generated Twitter content.
