An E-Health Community of Practice: Online Communication in an E-Health Service Delivery Environment

Results of a series of studies of consumer response to online interactive communication and video-based technologies for the delivery of health care services are presented. The studies include development, evaluation and usability studies of two interactive, video conferencing web sites; Caring for Others© [CFO] designed for older adults caring for a family member with a chronic disease, and Caring for Me© [CFM] designed to support an e-health program for obese adolescents. Stages of web site development, usability analyses, and evaluation of consumer response to the customized e-health programs are reported.