Effective collaboration for healthcare by bridging the reality gap across media-physical spaces

ABSTRACT

There are growing needs for communication and collaboration on different managerial and operational levels in healthcare. On e trend th at has been noted in our modern society is the move of nursing care from traditional hospitals to the patient's own home. The aim of this paper is to suggest a conceptual solution for healthcare collaboration and to provide an intersectional approach to go beyond that which was possible today and towards better communication and collaboration tomorrow. First, this paper discusses specific issues in communication and collaboration arising from the reality gap between media-physical spaces, then proposes an overview of a new way to approach problems for which conventional design methods offer no clear solution. The paper is thus mostly a description of a problem area, and a general approach to addressing it. We conclude with a description of future needs for further research on collaborative healthcare.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.0 GENERAL
      Subjects: Hardware/software interfaces

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)
      H.5.3 Group and Organization Interfaces

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors

Keywords:
collaboration environment, context, presence, tangibility