HealthTech

Collaborative Platforms for Engaging Stakeholders in Innovation Research Abstract: The Use of Ruby’s Bequest to Address Future Perspectives on Caregiving and Caregiver Shortages: It is anticipated that the available pool of formal caregivers will not be large enough to meet the increased demand for services from older adults with disability. One innovative approach to address this issue is Ruby’s Bequest, a collaborative, storytelling and interactive gaming platform. Ruby’s Bequest utilizes an emerging collaborative technique known as “crowdsourcing” to elicit stories and strategies to forecast future events and brainstorm possible solutions to real-world problems. Together, crowdsourcing and interactive gaming techniques have tremendous potential for delivering added value to any organization’s innovation and process-improvement cycles. Research Abstract

Emerging Technologies and the Future of Independent Living Technology Impact Projection: Stemming from the recent Expert Panel on Emerging Technologies and the Future of Independent Living, this chart provides environmental context, drivers and barriers of technology adoption and diffusion from 2010-2020. Technology Impact Projection

Future Environments for an Aging Society Interview List: Directory of interviewees for the Future Environments for an Aging Society Expert Panel. Interview List

Aging and Disability – Implications for the Housing Industry and Housing Policy in the United States Research Abstract: The Journal of the American Planning Association published a study in 2008 projecting the impact of population aging on the growth in households that will have at least one resident with a disability and estimating the likelihood that a newly built single-family detached unit will house at least one resident with a disability over the course of the unit’s lifetime. The findings indicate the growing need for accessible housing stock and home modifications; however there are significant challenges that remain to meeting this need. Research Abstract

Technology Enabled Innovations for Improving Children’s Health Interview List: Directory of interviewees for the Technology-Enabled Innovations for Improving Children’s Health Expert Panel. Interview List

Sex::Tech Conference Summary: The Sex::Tech conference focused on innovative high-tech solutions in sexual health education and STD/HIV prevention for youth. Several innovative technology applications were discussed including text messaging and mobile media in the youth sexual health field. Conference Summary

HIMSS Conference Summary: The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference discussed the Economic Stimulus Package and what the definition of “meaningful use” of EMRs, use certified EMRs, and exchange information might be. Additional topics also included geographic information systems for navigation and planning, natural language processing as a tool to support coding, and real time location systems built on the ZigBee standard. Conference Summary

Technology Profile on Social Media: Online social media sites allow individuals to connect to health information, share knowledge and experience, provide personal support, and collaborate with other users online. These sites can also provide an environment for learning skills to support self-care. Social media applications can operate through a variety of web-based communication tools including blogs, wikis, podcasts, social networks, instant messaging, and video file-sharing. Technology Profile

Technology Profile on Cell Phones: Cell phone technology comprises a combination of hardware, software, wireless network, and communications standards to offer health services for patient education, wellness, and chronic disease management. Companies have been quick to see the opportunity for health applications on a technology infrastructure that is ubiquitous and offers users convenient access and ease of use. As cell phone capabilities continue to advance through developments in microprocessors, communications protocols, and network standards, the potential of cell phones to supplement the delivery of health-care services will continue to grow and lead to more sophisticated and personalized applications. Technology Profile

Webinar: The Future of Behavioral Health IT: This webinar will highlight major findings from the recent report on Behavioral Health IT: Seamless Care for California’s Kids by Thomas Tinstman, MD, Steven DeMello and the California HealthCare Foundation while discussing implications and next steps for behavioral health IT strategies. The webinar will be held on May 21, 12:00pm – 1:00pm PDT. Webinar

Webinar: Virtual Reality for Clinical Therapy: This webinar will provide an overview of the many forms of virtual reality that have been applied across a diverse range of clinical disorders including PTSD, anxiety disorders, and central nervous system dysfunction. Albert “Skip” Rizzo, PhD, Research Scientist and Professor at USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies, will give this webinar on Tuesday, May 26, 10:00am – 11:30am PDT. Webinar

Webinar: Identifying and Piloting Consumer-Based Technologies for Independent Living: This webinar will highlight the experiences of Meridian Health in the selection and evaluation process of consumer-based technologies that promote independence in the home for older adults. Sandra Elliott, Director of Consumer Technology and Service Development for Meridian Health, will give this webinar on Wednesday, May 27, 9:00am – 10:00am PDT. Webinar

Expert Panel: Future Environments for an Aging Society: This Expert Panel identified trends, technologies and innovations that will impact built environments to support independent living. The Expert Panel was held on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 in San Francisco, CA. Expert Panel

Expert Panel: Technology-Enabled Innovations for Improving Children’s Health: This Expert Panel discussed services, programs, and technology-enabled innovations that are possible through the application of information and communications technologies, and how they will shape children’s health in the next two to five years and beyond. The Expert Panel was held on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 in Los Angeles, CA. Expert Panel

Webinar: Future Environments for an Aging Society: This webinar introduced this project and its objectives to our partners. It was held on Wednesday, April 15, 2009, 8:00am – 9:00am, PDT. Webinar

As always, please contact Steve DeMello, Executive Director, sdemello@healthtech.org, or Andrew Broderick, Director of Research and Forecasting, abroderick@healthtech.org, with any questions about our research activities.