Observing Primary Care Physicians at Work: Informing Technology Development to Improve Healthcare September 17, 2008

Primary care physicians have been criticized for being slow to adopt electronic medical records (EMRs), clinical information systems and email. Adoption of electronic technology lags despite popular and scientific literature that suggests such technology will transform medicine, federal efforts to encourage adoption, and a wider array of off-the-shelf software and services aimed at small practices. Observations of the work and business practices of small- and individual-practice primary care physicians can tell us a lot about the issues and constraints that affect decisions regarding technology. This presentation offers insights derived from ethnographic research with primary care physicians in three US cities, and discusses implications for product design.

Speaker Bio:

Nancy Vuckovic, PhD, is a research ethnographer in Intel's Digital Health Group. Dr. Vuckovic's expertise spans the continuum of health care from self-care to professional medical care. She has examined patient behavior related to preventive care and medication use, has worked with clinicians to understand the dynamics of doctor-patient and doctor-nurse communication and the use of exam room computing, and has examined the effects of limited literacy on access to and comprehension of medical information. She has also done extensive work in the area of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Prior to joining Intel, Dr. Vuckovic worked as an investigator at Kaiser Permanante Center for Health Research in Portland, OR. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a PhD in cultural anthropology, specializing in medical anthropology. She had a previous career in advertising and marketing and retains an interest in words and images and how information affects behavior. During graduate school she worked on a long-term NIH-funded project dealing with dieting and smoking behavior among teenage girls.

How to Register:

This is a FREE event sponsored by the OHSU Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Clinical & Translational Research Institute (OCTRI), and OHSU's Division of Management. Although registration is not mandatory, we would appreciate it if you would do so.

This seminar will be held on the OHSU Marquam Hill Campus, room 28, Emma Jones Hall, which is building 1 on the campus map.

Dates/Times: Wednesday, Wednesday, September 17, 2008; 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM, Family Medicine Grand Rounds,
Location: OHSU Marquam Hill Campus, room 28, Emma Jones Hall, building 1 on the campus map
Fee: $0

Official Website: http://www.cpd.ogi.edu/coursespecific.asp?pam=2398