Traditional Practice vs. New Tools and Routines in Stroke Treatment
L. L. Nilsen, T. Solvoll
Aug 6, 2012
Citations
3
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Future Internet
Full text
Semantic Scholar
Key Takeaway Key Takeaway: Videoconferencing technology is not the sole reason for low frequency of use in stroke treatment, but rather traditional rules, standards, and division of labor.
Abstract
In Norway, it is a national goal to provide more patients with thrombolytic treatment. A referring hospital and a specialist hospital have implemented videoconferencing (VC) equipment to share knowledge and discuss stroke patients, regarding thrombolytic treatment. VC has only been used four times within the 19 months that the service has been available. The objective in this article is to increase the understanding of the contradiction between the need for knowledge-sharing through VC technology, as well as the reasons for low frequency of use when discussing stroke patients. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 professionals. The results illustrate how the technology per se is not the reason for the low frequency use. Health care is shaped by behavior, traditional rules, standards and division of labor. By using cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) as a framework, we illustrate the importance of understanding the historic way of performing an activity to be able to expand the treatment activity in the future.