You are here: Telemed.no > Telemedicine > Projects > Hospital health service >
2001
ICT based development of competence in the municipalities
Background
Norway's former Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (SHD) initiated this programme, focused on teaching, guidance, and the development of professional networks for staff involved in autism care in the municipalities. The NST started collaborating with the Autism Unit in Oslo.
The aim of the programme was to use ICT as a tool to improve the services available to the individual user. The focus on building up competence was primarily intended to support the recruitment and retention of health professionals in the municipalities and to promote a stable, consistent service.
In cooperation with the Autism Unit, three municipalities in North Norway were selected to take part in the project. A small survey revealed a great need for both guidance and teaching. Employees in the municipal health service need guidance and advice from the specialist health service.
They also need to discuss their experiences and insights with other colleagues in their day-to-day work. They wanted training that would update their professional skills and raise their competence levels, to help them to do a good job and feel confident in their work.
Project description
Based on videoconferencing technology which was already available in some municipalities, the NST launched guidance and teaching programmes. A field study in a small municipality was conducted to survey the processes and factors of importance for the introduction of new technology in a municipality with no existing technical infrastructure. This survey has provided the NST with valuable information which may be useful to other municipalities as well.
From 2003, the programme to improve competence in autism care has been extended to include care for the elderly and for people with dementia or disabilities. The programme also offers training for support workers and relief support workers.
Videoconferencing technology has been applied to make courses on dementia accessible to a greater number of municipal health professionals. Internet technology, too, is used to develop network-based courses on dementia, disabilities and ageing.
Project partners
The NST started collaborating with the Autism Unit in Oslo. The NST also works in partnership with the Norwegian Centre for Dementia Research in Vestfold and Bergen University College (HiB).
We have worked together with the Norwegian Centre for Dementia Research to enable it to gain the skills needed to operate the technology. Training in the use of technology and raising awareness of its potential can help the centre to make better use of ICT for seminars and conferences, which currently take place in the traditional manner.
In cooperation with Bergen University College, we are developing a decentralized programme for organization and guidance of support workers and relief support workers. In the longer term, it will be possible to offer this service to health workers in the municipalities.
Contact person at NST
Project manager Rigmor Furu, telephone +47 909 92 299
 Contact Rigmor Furu |
