For so many years we have discussed and demonstrated the uses of technology to assist us in all aspects of providing pediatric care - clinical support, administrative support, patient and provider education, etc. - with the assumption that the technology makes the processes more accurate and efficient, less time-consuming and frustrating. This assumption is often critical to the acceptance of a new system - and one that will be tested as I strive to implement current technologies to compile and distribute this newsletter.
There are over 400 members of the Section on Computers and Other Technologies, and communication is a vital part in the process of our ongoing education. What technologies are working out there and what aren't? What are the latest legislative highlights and disasters? What talents and ongoing projects exist among our membership that could be used in collaborative efforts, either locally or nationally? What are the key issues in the acceptance of new technologies? How can the science of Medical Informatics advance the development of these technologies using accepted research methods?
On the issue of acceptance of new technologies, it is the SCOT members who are NOT the 'techies' whose opinions and contributions are probably the most valuable. Some prospective SCOT members are worried that they don't have the technological background to be a member of the section. On the contrary, the development and acceptance of systems should be heavily based on the input of the practitioner who should not be required to have such a background.
With this in mind, a new process is being developed to compile and distribute The SCOT Report - one that will hopefully be more accurate and efficient, less time-consuming and frustrating - for both contributors and subscribers. Specifically, article submissions will be entered into a MYSQL database on SCOT's web server, administered using web-based tools, and served on the web using dynamic scripting techniques (PHP4). Cascading Style Sheets will allow for some experimenting with layout and presentation. Additional scripting could automatically generate abbreviated newsletter versions for general distribution. On-line versions will have live links to referenced web sites or e-mail addresses.
Most importantly - if it is done correctly - the end-user tools to put a newsletter together and have it ready in a timely fashion could be a model for other Sections and their newsletters. It would be a great example of using modern technologies to significantly improve a process - to practice what we preach.