Telemedicine systems development in post-conflict contexts : A country case study of the role of symbols of conflict in systems engineering

Kealy, Anita and Stapleton, Larry (2012) Telemedicine systems development in post-conflict contexts : A country case study of the role of symbols of conflict in systems engineering. In: SWIIS 2012 - IFAC Int. Conference on Int. Stability and Systems Engineering, SWIIS 2012 is Organised in Conjunction with the 2nd Int. Systems Engineering and Systems Management Conference, SESEM 2012 :. IFAC Proceedings Volumes (IFAC-PapersOnline) (10). IFAC Secretariat, IRL, pp. 120-125. ISBN 9783902823205

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Abstract

Post-conflict regions are extreme situations which load additional variables onto systems engineering projects. The success of advanced technology projects in post-conflict regions is mixed and success factors in these regions remain poorly understood. Whilst the immediate conflict may be over in a post-war situation, the affects of the conflict as a symbolic system is likely to remain in a society. This paper explores the symbolic importance of conflict in a successful post-conflict health informatics project. Health informatics technologies are an important response to the difficult conditions in post-war territories. The primary contribution of this paper is twofold. Firstly, to set out a case study of a successful Telemedicine Systems implementation in a post conflict region. Secondly, to note symbols of conflict in a telemedicine initiative in a post-war Balkan region. These contributions demonstrate a major weakness in current technology acceptance theory and open up new avenues for research into international stability and advanced technology development and adoption in post-conflict regions.

Item Type:	Book Section
Additional Information:	Funding Information: 7. TELEMEDICINE CENTRE, KOSOVO: INITIAL VISITS BY THE RESEARCH TEAM TCK provided basic medical care and education to a severely under resourced region. Medics could attend lectures and view surgery live via e-conferencing facility. The e-library offered access to up to date medical journals and teaching. Due to the conflict many of Kosovo’s basic infrastructural, medical and educational needs had been adversely affected. As a result many hospitals were difficult to access, due to poor infrastructure. Doctors may not have been fully aware of medical issues suffered by a patient, for a variety of reasons including: printed medical literature was out of date and was difficult to access for many years. Doctors had no access to surgery or in-hospital experience during their training. For many years Kosovan Albanian doctors were excluded from medical education and practice. The first phase of the centre was funded by the European Agency for Reconstruction, and was opened in 2002. The centre was located on the fifth floor of the emergency building of Pristina University Clinical Centre. The second phase of the centre was funded by The of Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of U.S. Department of State and the Ministry of Health of Kosovo. This was inaugurated in 2007, and consisted of 6 fully operational regional centres around Kosovo, in Mitrovica, Peja, Prizren, Skenderaj, Gjilan and Gjakova, which link into the main centre in Pristina. Telemedicine Program of Kosovo (TPK) is conceived and implemented today by the International Virtual e-Hospital (IVeH) (previously Kosovo Foundation for Medical Development).
Uncontrolled Keywords:	/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2200/2207
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Depositing User:	Admin SSL
Date Deposited:	19 Oct 2022 23:18
Last Modified:	30 Jun 2023 00:50
URI:	http://repository-testing.wit.ie/id/eprint/5184

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