Communicating Using Technology: An Appreciative Inquiry into the engagement, value & future practice of Email as a tool to share information

Abstract

Background Disseminating information between healthcare professionals is vital to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients. The use of technology to convey this information is considered a suitable platform, with email a universally accepted method for this function. There is an expectation the recipient will open, read and action these messages, however literature supports the notion that gaps exist with the use and knowledge of technology and email. Despite email being constant in our lives for several decades, the speed at which technology is evolving has the potential to widen these gaps. Aim The aim of the research was to determine staffs views and experiences when communicating using email, together with what they perceive as improvements to current communication practice and to understand their ideas for the future. Method A qualitative paradigm, with a social constructivism approach, using the Appreciative Inquiry model was used to explore this topic. A total of four focus groups discussed the use of email as a way to share information. Sample The sample invited to participate included healthcare professionals working in direct or indirect patient care and who were located at Middlemore Hospital, CMDHB. Staff from Allied Health (n=11) and nursing (n=19) were recruited to participate in the study. Findings The process of thematic analysis generated four overarching themes. Professional practice outlined the necessity for on-going training, the need to reduce miscommunication by creating an etiquette to email and the effect of the ever-increasing volume of email. Workforce self-care included the detrimental effects of email engagement outside of the work environment, emails interrupting the flow of work and the expectations to using email. Engaging the workforce identified the desire for technology to enable efficient practice and the importance of stakeholder engagement early on in system re-development. Shaping the future using technology found participants wanting fit for purpose technology, having a willingness to seek out alternative communication options and having the desire for the integration of systems. Conclusion This study is the first to explore the experiences, behaviours, environmental factors, motivation and engagement of staffs’ use of email within a healthcare organisation. The key findings will inform the organisation as to the human factors influencing interactions with technology such as, the awareness for a workforce to care for oneself in a world of increasing connectivity. The benefit of having an engaged workforce with the skills to manage and process information sent electronically is vital for patient care, therefore future technology needs to be generationally friendly with a focus on empowering staff to work efficiently and be actively involved during transformational change. In addition, acknowledging email communication as legitimate work is crucial for email to be an effective method to communicate information.