Week 7: A Reenergized Direction

I began this project hoping to build a web-based medical database specifically designed for mobile accessibility in an effort to assist rural healthcare providers, who commonly have less access to fewer educational resources, to stay abreast of recent medical research and clinical studies. On behalf of the Texas Distance Learning Association (TxDLA) I was planning to write a proposal for submission to the USDA's Telemedicine Grant Program. The anecdotal research and official USDA RFP guidelines offered a more lenient criteria than other award contests and offered close to $35 million in telemedicine grants last year. In an attempt to make this into a real-world project, we were to secure a group for whom we would write and submit our work. Logistical delays, as described previously, did not allow for a partnership with the TxDLA.

Through the on-line MOO teachings, textbook readings, and class discussions; I realized that the grandure of my project’s scope was too large for one person and needed to be scaled down or adjusted for a student’s first writing project. Additionally, the in-class teachings seemed somewhat constricted without real-world problems, organizations, or solution-oriented possibilities to augment the didactic reading.

In week five (5) I readjusted my project and during the latter part of last week, I found an organization to write for: The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF). The late changes in both my organization and my project have offered me a chance to refocus, but I feel this small set back has been a small price to pay for the lessons learned. The next several days will include strengthening my rapport with and knowledge of the NPF. Additionally, I have elected to re-write all of my blog posts to reflect my newly energized campaign.

To review my new project: Click Here (Week 5)

Week 6: If At First You Don't Succeed....

If at first you don't succeed ....

Completing this week’s blog post came with much difficulty because of logistical delays and not because of a lack of effort. As per Mikelonis et al, a letter of intent should offer a “ succinct” description of the problem at hand, your solution to the problem, and a clever “sell” of yourself and your organization. “This is not the time for false modesty!,” the authors bluntly proclaim, (Grant Seeking, p.142).

However, matching a cause, describing one's qualifications, the interests of sponsor, and the goals of an organization are less feasible when one does not have an organization committed to his participation. The intended organization, the Texas Distance Learning Association (TxDLA), has experienced a recent re-election, the take over of a new President, and historical weather delays with recent snow and power outages. Therefore, I have been unable to secure a position with them.

I am currently in the process of seeking an alternative organization to write for. I will keep you posted.

Week 5: A Map to Stardom

After our last meeting and some reflection, I have concluded that my previous proposal idea was too grand in its scope and thus may have adversely affected my ability to be taken seriously by potential collaborating organizations or potential sponsors.

My new direction is centered around developing basic medical specialty applications (apps), which would facilitate a basic understanding of specialty-based medical care by rural-based clinicians. This basic digital assistance would allow a higher quality of health care to reach many rural Americans that can't otherwise reach the big city specialists. Perhaps specialty care delivered by general practitioners is better than no care at all?

While beginning this project's proposal writing process, I will simultaneously secure an organization that will accept me as an advocate. I will write the proposal in accordance with the class schedule. In the event that I am am to pry some money out of the USDA's Telemedicine Grant Program, I feel confident that the following timeline is feasible:

a.) 1 month to arrange a few industry thought-leaders

b.) 2 months to gather data and compose a medical algorithm for psoriasis

c.) 1 month to develop app template and data (iphone & Blackberry based)

d.) 1 month to secure freelance SDK software programmer and start work

e.) 1 month to build app which is content rich, not technically complex

f.) 1 month beta testing and legal review

g.) 1 hour to call Steve Jobs & tell him that I need an iPad for the project :)

g.) LAUNCH!

Week 4: Thesis Statement

Mission/Thesis Statement

“We believe in developing and implementing web-based medical databases and video-conferencing portals that are accessible via mobile technologies (i.e. netbooks) that will link rural primary healthcare providers with urban specialists and facilities in an effort to enhance the currently decreasing quality of healthcare offered to Rural America.”

Evidence for the Naysayers

Many may choose to refute the above claims and the implied problems with rural healthcare; but the anecdotal evidence, the empirical research findings, and my personal experience have all validated similar conclusions: rural patients have a decreased access to quality healthcare. Internet-based technologies have already and will continue to bridge the discrepancies between rural and urban healthcare resources.

For example, a rural clinician that requests a second opinion from a urologist would have the ability to meet that urologist on the Internet instead of making the patient drive three hours to the nearest urban-based medical facility.

Below are just two sources, from a plethora available, that support the need for enhanced access to healthcare resources, knowledge, and specialty expertise by rural clinicians and patients. The first citation documents one of the many examples of such need and the second offers evidence to the benefits afforded through the implementation of mobile technology and video-conferencing.

Nebraska Urban and Rural Populations, 1990 Census Report

Kvedar, J., Menn, E., and Loughlin, K. "Technologic Advances in Urology: Implications for the Twenty-First Century." Urologic Clinics of North America, Feb. 1998: 25(1).