title: Patient Centred Systems: Techno-Anthropological reflections on the challenges of 'meaningfully engaging' patients within health informatics research.
abstract: This chapter explores how Techno-Anthropology can contribute to more explicitly professional and ethically responsible reflections on the socio-technical practices involved in meaningfully engaging patients in health informatics research. The chapter draws on insights from health informatics research projects focused on chronic disease and self-management conducted in Tasmania during the last 10 years. Through these projects the paper explores three topics of relevance to 'meaningful engagement' with patients: (i) Patient Self-Management and Chronic Disease (ii) Patients as Users in Health Informatics research, and, (iii) Evaluations of outcomes in Health and Health Informatics Interventions. Techno-Anthropological reflections are then discussed through the concepts of liminality, polyphony and power. This chapter argues that beyond its contribution to methodology, an important role for Techno-Anthropology in patient centred health informatics research may be its capacity to support new ways of conceptualising and critically reflecting on the construction and mediation of patients' needs, values and perspectives.
authors.affiliation: eHealth Services Research Group, School of Engineering & ICT, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: Ming-Chao
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: eHealth Services Research Group, School of Engineering & ICT, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Almond
authors.affiliation: eHealth Services Research Group, School of Engineering & ICT, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.affiliation: eHealth Services Research Group, School of Engineering & ICT, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roehrer
authors.affiliation: eHealth Services Research Group, School of Engineering & ICT, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Showell
authors.affiliation: eHealth Services Research Group, School of Engineering & ICT, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008491:Medical Informatics Applications; D010358:Patient Participation; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012106:Research; D012648:Self Care; D013648:Tasmania