FAMILY HEALTH REMINDER SYSTEM

WE WILL DEVELOP A MICROCOMPUTER-BASED SYSTEM TO HELP FAMILIES TRACK THE HEALTH-CARE NEEDS OF THEIR MEMBERS AND OBTAIN TIMELY PREVENTIVE CARE. THE SOFTWARE WILL OPERATE ON POPULAR HOME COMPUTERS AND INCORPORATE PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE US PREVENTIVE SERVICES TASK FORCE AND OTHER PUBLISHED GUIDELINES. IN PHASE I THE BASIC DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY WILL BE DETERMINED THROUGH CONVENING FOCUS GROUPS OF POTENTIAL USERS, THROUGH REVIEW OF CURRENT PREVENTION GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS, OF EXISTING REMINDER AND HEALTH ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS, AND THROUGH CONSULTATION WITH FAMILY PRACTICE PHYSICIANS ACTIVELY WORKING IN PREVENTION AND SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVING IT. PROTOTYPES OF REPORTS TO BE PRODUCED BY THE SYSTEM WILL BE DEVELOPED, AS WELL AS A SOFTWARE PROTOTYPE TO DEMONSTRATE THE USER INTERFACE AND FUNCTIONS THAT MAY BE INCORPORATED. THE PROTOTYPES WILL BE USED TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM PHYSICIANS AND PROSPECTIVE USERS. INFORMATION FROM FOCUS GROUPS AND RESACTIONS TO THE PROTOTYPES WILL BE USED IN PHASE II TO DETERMINE THE FINAL WORKING DESIGN, BASED ON WHICH THE SYTSEM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED. ALPHA AND BETA TESTING WILL BE DONE, AND MODIFICATIONS PERFORMED. THE FINAL SYSTEM WILL HELP FAMILIES ARRANGE MORE TIMELY PREVENTIVE CARE FOR THEIR MEMEBERS AND ALLOW THEM TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR PREDICTABLE HEALTH NEEDS IN A WAY NOT POSSIBLE WHEN THE INITIATIVE IS LEFT TO MULTIPLE, OFTEN CHANGING, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.