Involving Health Care Professionals in Technological Change

Abstract

The changes in health informatics and information systems over the past ten years have been amazing. When we think about the next ten years, it is easy to visualize that “Star Trek” types of medicine will start to emerge. In many Star Trek episodes, the physician or nurse used a type of scanner that rapidly and painlessly—and, we assume, accurately—produced many “readings.” These scanners also offered potential diagnoses. This Star Trek medicine represents a fundamental transformation from some of our current practices. The question is, How do today’s health care providers effectively move toward this future?