The Problem

In terms of decisions around one's health care, the burden is shifting from health care providers such as doctors, insurance companies, etc. to the individual. More and more, individuals need to be responsible for the management of their own health and health care. As governments cut services, and send people to the library for help, the libraries are getting overloaded with health and social services questions.

Project goals

To develop a tool that makes it easier for people to make their real-life health and wellness decisions and for librarians to support them. The tool should be the bridge between basic health reference information and the various support services available in one's own community; it should connect people to actual health services. The product should be have a clear interface that is easy to use, highlighting trustworthy, authoritative resources, with tie ins to local health services.

Stakeholders

There are several stakeholders from various perspectives. First, our client Gale and their product managers have a stake in their product's success and how this class will contribute to a marketable product. Similarly, our team members and colleagues have an interest in the project's overall success. The end product will also impact community members who access health information at the library for individual use or for friends and family, as well as librarians who help the community locate and identify appropriate content. Finally, health care providers and researchers will have access to the health information to provide more comprehensive care to their patients.

Other considerations