32. Using the internet to facilitate collaborative healthcare research (304)

Rachel Taylor, Project Manager, Virtual Institute of Research in Healthcare Practice., School of Health and Social Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
rachel.taylor@rcn.org.uk

Abstract:

Introduction:

A multi-purpose website has been developed to facilitate and enhance collaborative healthcare research. The Virtual Institute of Research in Healthcare Practice (VIRIHP) is a UK collaboration of 8 partners including National Health Service Trusts (NHS), the RCN Research Institute at Warwick University, 3 other universities and an umbrella patient group. VIRIHP’s research on patient perspectives in long term conditions is informed by the partners’ diversity of skills and perspectives and facilitated by the website (www.virihp.org.uk). Also included on the website is a learning environment for students and new researchers.

Background:

UK healthcare research is now largely undertaken collaboratively (Lorentzon, 1998) and patient and clinician participation is a prerequisite for most research funding grants. At its best, collaborative working enables “a more comprehensive examination of the research problem” (Gelling 2001). However, collaborations can founder due to their non-hierarchical structure, the range of perspectives and the necessity for virtual communication, which is not “seamless or transparent” (Driskell et al, 2003). In order to maximize the potential of virtual collaborations engaging people creatively in a web resource can help compensate for less face-to-face communication. Examples of web tools: 1. Web tool: Project updates, discussion zones and document libraries.

Purpose:

1. Keeps collaborators informed and motivated. 2. Web tool: Separate forums and libraries for project interventions. Purpose: Clinicians involved in interventions can support each other. 3. Web tool: Database of researchers’ interests in institutions. Purpose: Facilitates networking and collaborative projects. 4. Web tool: Educational clinical guidance tools. Purpose: Used for interventions on implementing guidelines 5. Web tool: News page. Purpose: Keeps people in touch and advertises collaboration’s work. 6. Web tool: Interactive learning, eg writing and critical thinking skills packages. Purpose: Offers pool of educational resources to students in the partner institutions 7. Web tool: Student community and directory. Purpose: Student network and support.

Biography:

Education: BA (Hons), Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology and currently undertaking an MSc in Social Research Methods with Open University which will be completed in March 2008. Experience: I worked in the voluntary sector in large national charities (such as NSPCC and RNID) until 2000 when I started working in health and educational research. I worked at University of Oxford on two projects, one exploring the effects of pregnancy on low income mothers for the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit. I then worked for the Department of Educational Studies on a research project exploring the effects of participation in parenting programmes on mothers in a socially disadvantaged area of Oxford. Since 2005 I have been Project Manager of the Virtual Institute of Research in Healthcare Practice (VIRIHP) at the RCN Research Institute, which has recently been aligned with University of Warwick (School of Health and Social Studies). VIRIHP is a UK health research collaboration of 8 partners, including 3 NHS trusts, 4 universities and an umbrella group for patient organisations of long term conditions. VIRIHP’s research focus is patient perspectives in long term conditions and is funded for 3.5 years by Hefce.