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Anonymity Policy

The gist is...If you have a serious comment to make anonymously...email it, don't just post it.

Truly anonymous comments - where the writer is unknown - are not published unless they are unexceptional.

Comments or articles where the authorship is known but are offered for publication anonymously are considered on their merits. (Email Steve or Donna in confidence.) There are some circumstances where it is necessary to be close to a particular situation to be able to throw light on it but to write about it publicly would jeopardise the author's position. In that case, the decision to publish an item anonymously hinges on the question of whether or not it is informed opinion that will add insight to, or might start, a debate on a particular topic.

Unsubstantiated allegations of illegal behaviour or substandard products, for example, would not be posted unless they could be independently verified, in which case we would probably publish them ourselves.

Just because a post, article or comment, etc. is published on Telecare Aware readers cannot and should not infer that the editors agree with the author, anonymous or not.

Steve Hards
Donna Cusano
Editors
steve.hards@telecareaware.com
donna.cusano@telecareaware.com

Recent Telecare Soapboxes

Telecare Aware’s Terminology Campaign

Monday, 21 January 2008 00:00

What’s the problem?

Multiple meanings of the words ‘telecare’, ‘telehealth’, ‘telemedicine’, etc. abound. Conversely, similar concepts have many names. As a consequence:

Professionals use their preferred terminology and confuse journalists
Journalists’ misconceptions spread public confusion
Speed of adoption of the technology is retarded
People suffer without appropriate monitoring systems
Suppliers have to work harder to thrive
The development of new technologies falters

What’s the solution and where will it come from?

I used to believe that the matter would evolve towards a solution. However, I now see it evolving towards greater confusion. We have reached a situation where a standard, internationally recognised taxonomy and set of definitions needs to be agreed and adopted.

However, it is no one’s responsibility to take on this task. The only organisation that has a broad base of worldwide technology suppliers and which has a remit to develop any international standards (albeit only in the health technology arena at the moment) is the Continua Alliance. It is in the Alliance’s members’ long term interest to tackle this problem.

What role will Telecare Aware play?

During 2008 Telecare Aware will post links to news items that illustrate the problems. I am happy to open up these pages to everyone who is interested in this issue and invite contributions by way of articles and comments. Although I have some views about how words should be applied in this field (see the What is Telecare page, for example) I am more concerned that an international consensus is formed than I am about promoting my particular usage.

Where shall we start?

Start with this excellent article Telecare, telehealth and assistive technologies – do we know what we’re talking about? Doughty, K et al, published in the Journal of Assistive Technologies (Volume 1 Issue 2, December 2007) and made available to Telecare Aware readers by kind permission of Pavilion Journals (Brighton) Ltd.

Steve Hards

Comments (3)

Terminology

1 Friday, 25 January 2008 00:00

Mike Orton

Terminology in the real world

3 Thursday, 19 June 2008 00:00

Angela Single

I think it is far less confusing if the industry reflects what goes on in the real world! i.e we already have healthcare and care.

When we use those terms we all know what type of care we are talking about so why do we want to be different.

It also isn’t about technology it is about service delivery - the AT or technology are tools to delivering care or health in very different ways - unless we get that we really have not understood what is currently happening out there in the real world.

My vote is for Telecare and Telehealth!!! Simple - using technology to deliver either care or healthcare - what is confusing about that and why do we need to spend hrs debating it! See our web-site www.ci-ltd.org for more info on Telecare and Telehealth good practice.

Good luck - Angela

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