Improvement to Communications

While the link between ICTs and communications in medical practices might seem obvious, a number of studies have examined the precise role of ICTs. Qavi et al. (2001) and Baldwin et al. (2002) sug­gest that ICTs can improve patient care through communication with other clinicians. Brunn et al. (2002) suggest that increased communications can bring with it flexibility in administration and general procedure, while El-Sayed & Westrup (2003) take this even further suggesting that the removal of temporal an spatial limits allows new models of communications, administration and procedure to be developed. Compton, Lang, Richardson & Hess (2007) note that while there is some obvious crossover from general business to medical practice clearly a number of drivers have come from research undertaken within the medical sector. He counts among these medical imaging, diagnosis and treatment at a distance and medical information management. Sandberg (2003) and Stevanovic et al. (2005) have suggested that ICT is the nucleus of chronic disease management. A number of studies have examined ICT in specific medical roles — Hubner & Selleman (2005) sug­gest ICT use in acute patient care, Torp, Hanson, Ulstein, & Magnusson (2008) have shown that ICT contributes to the health promotion of elderly spousal carers, while Hagglund Scandurra, & Koch (2007) and Meijer & Ragetlie (2007) have shown that ICT can empower patients.