New Technological Approaches for Reaching Consumers and Health Professionals

This panel will examine how new tools and technologies enable new thinking about ways to deliver health information to audiences and how ideas about outreach and communications can evolve. Mobile applications (apps) are becoming more than the latest smartphone phase; they are becoming personal health enablers. Mobile apps offer new ways to deliver educational and motivational messages, making science-based information instantly available for everyday use by consumers and health care providers. From helping patients track their use of dietary supplements to assisting physicians in screening for drug abuse in clinical settings, mobile apps help Government agencies forge a new kind of relationship with frequently returning users. Web sites are no longer a single destination, but a means for agencies to plant information seeds in hundreds of other Web sites, while maintaining control of their messages. Application programming interfaces are like having an army of field workers deliver agency messages and gather valuable analytics. Large Government health information Web sites are becoming more like commercial online store destinations that are designed with customers in mind. These sites provide intuitive access to resources and easy checkout experiences, while generating a wealth of new market research data. Each of the case studies presented by the panel has program research at its core and emphasizes evaluation outcomes that will lead to a healthier America.
Thursday, August 19, 2010: 12:45 PM-2:15 PM
International F
The Case for Change: The SAMHSA Store, a Groundbreaking New Home for Behavioral Health
Mark Weber, M.B.A, Office of Communications, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, Rockville, MD
The Case for Change: Content Syndication
Sandra Williams Hilfiker, MA, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Rockville, MD
The Case for Change: Mobile Apps Expand the Universe for Consumer Health Information
Jody Engel, MA, RD, National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, Bethesda, MD
The Case for Change: Evolving the Clinician's Screening Tool: NIDA ASSIST
Brian Marquis, B.S, Public Information and Liaison Branch, Office of Science Policy and Communications, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Rockville, MD
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