Towards mobile communities for cancer patients: the case of krebsgemeinschaft.de
Journal
International Journal of Web Based Communities
ISSN
1477-8394
ISSN-Digital
1741-8216
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2004
Author(s)
Research Team
iw6-init
Abstract
This article describes mobile virtual healthcare communities as a solution for meeting cancer patients' needs for information and interaction. After a short introduction into the German healthcare system and its potential starting points for virtual communities, the authors focus on cancer patients. They analyse their situation through field studies and identify information and interaction needs. On this basis, requirements for user centric socio-technical system design for cancer patients are derived. Since no existing offers meet these prerequisites, the authors work on piloting a mobile virtual community for cancer patients in Germany. Some of the identified user needs hint at an extension of web-based services for overcoming internet-related boundaries. New technological possibilities like mobile services and mobile devices are influencing virtual communities. Subjects like ubiquitous community access, new possibilities of user identification and location related services are of special interest since they might allow real ''anytime-anyplace'' access to the community platform. But regardless of the vast (theoretical) technical possibilities of new mobile technologies for extending web-based services, only socially accepted, technically stable and economically feasible solutions can ensure sustainable success of mobile virtual healthcare communities.
Language
English
Keywords
Virtual communities; healthcare; mobile services; m-communities; patient information systems; online communities for patients
CCC
HSG Classification
not classified
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Inderscience Enterprises
Publisher place
Olney
Volume
1
Number
1
Start page
58
End page
70
Pages
13
Event Title
International Journal of Web Based Communities (IJWBC)
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
219376
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
open.access
Name
JML_28.pdf
Size
489.76 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
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