Our Approach

Our approach to the challenges in this project (see Background Information) are to use Internet and mobile technologies to effectively communicate with the three major stakeholders in this project i.e. patients, carers and healthcare professionals.

We have identified the following elements to this solution:

• Publicity Web Site. This web site provides information about this project and the challenges it seeks to address.
• Portal Web Service. This provides a single point of access to the interactive content developed for this project.
• Short Self-Paced Internet Learning Course. This course can be used either by patients, carers or healthcare professionals. This resource is freely available to all registered users via our portal service.
• Mobile Device Resource. This interactive content provides just-in-time delivery of the key elements of the course to empower the person with diabetes to identify and resolve immediate problems. Additionally, it provides a personalised emergency plan for their use. This resource is available to all project participants via our portal service.

To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach we have engaged upon a field study during Q3 2005 - Q2 2006.

Our approach to this evaluation was as follows:

1. Initial Evaluation. We evaluate users' understanding by completing a short on-line questionnaire about diabetes and DKA.
2. On-Line Course. Users undertake a short self-paced Internet learning course.
3. Post Course Evaluation. Users complete a short on-line questionnaire.
4. Day-To-Day Use. The user can reference both the Internet-based course and the mobile device resource anytime, anywhere.
5. Follow-Up Evaluation. A number weeks after completing the on-line course the user undertakes a further follow-up evaluation.

During this study we are measuring short, medium and long-term retention of the content of the course as well as the number of times the user references this information.

One of our key success criteria is to increase the effective and accurate retention of emergency and day-to-day management of diabetes.