Networking opportunities on the Internet
Electronic mailing list connects PEMs
The Internet is not only a tool for patient education, but it also provides a unique opportunity for patient education managers to network. People can e-mail a message over an electronic mailing list and reach hundreds of colleagues in a matter of minutes.
To take advantage of this technology, the Patient Education Technical Team at the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics created PatEdNet, an electronic mailing list for patient education professionals to share and discuss patient education issues.
"The idea for PatEdNet originally came when I heard that ASHET [the Chicago-based American Society for Healthcare Education and Training] was disbanded. I loved the networking at the national meetings and didn't want to give this up," says Jackie A. Smith, PhD, patient education coordinator at University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics in Salt Lake City.
Patient educators who work in a health care setting are welcome to subscribe to the list. (For subscription information, see source box, below.) As a member, he or she can send an e-mail message that will be received by every PatEdNet subscriber by addressing the message to [email protected]. Members may send private messages to anyone on the list, but it must be addressed to the person's personal e-mail address.
A "frequently asked questions," section on the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics' patient education home page (www.med.utah.edu/pated) provides detailed information about the service. "We plan to continue it now that HCEA [the Philadelphia-based Health Care Education Association] has been formed but feel it is important for people to know how to subscribe and use it properly," explains Smith.
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