Assisting Collective Practices in a Healthcare Network
Abstract
This paper deals with guidelines for designing a computer-based system to support a healthcare network. A specific healthcare network, the RPM (“Réseau Pôle Mémoire” in French), is presented and its activities described. Based on the results of a one-year study, we suggest that the socio-congitive relations between the members of this community play a useful role in addition to the information-sharing aspects. Some questions are discussed about how a system will be of use to this healthcare network, which is still in the process of being set up. To analyse this community, concepts such as coordination mechanisms boundary or intermediary objects and communities of action are used. Lastly, some guidelines are suggested and illustrated.