Title: Modelling how the healthcare user acquires health information: Tasmanian case studies

Authors: Gail Ridley, David R. Woodward, Judy Young, Kim Boyer

Addresses: School of Accounting and Corporate Governance, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 86, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia. ' School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 58, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia. ' School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 87, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia. ' University Department of Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 103, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia

Abstract: This paper proposes a four-model framework for modelling the relationship between healthcare providers and healthcare users, and the associated acquisition of health information, modified from D|Alessandro and Dosa (2001) and Tomes (2007). Case studies were used to illuminate this investigation|s research scope, rather than its research design, as is more usual. Using Keating|s (1995) classification of case studies, this investigation presents four theory illustration cases, designed for theory refinement, seeking to establish the plausibility of the framework. The case study context used is the provision of healthcare to rural residents of Tasmania, the island state of Australia. This study found an occurrence of all four models from a search of the literature, which operated in parallel over similar time periods, within the case study setting. The findings were interpreted as supporting the plausibility of the framework. Further research will be needed to test the framework.

Keywords: health information; information retrieval; information acquisition; Australia; case study; healthcare modelling; healthcare technology; patient-centred healthcare; rural areas; Tasmania; theory refinement; healthcare providers; healthcare users.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHTM.2009.023730

International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management, 2009 Vol.10 No.1/2, pp.101 - 118

Published online: 08 Mar 2009 *

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