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- Convenor:
-
Roanne van Voorst
(University of Amsterdam)
Send message to Convenor
- Format:
- Panel
- Sessions:
- Monday 6 June, -
Time zone: Europe/London
Short Abstract:
This panel offers case-evidenced insights into the worldwide, increasing trend of digitalization of health.
Long Abstract:
Panelists discuss ongoing or recent research and examples from their research of how, on the one hand, Artificial Intelligence, big data-led decisionmaking and health-appliccations are offering grand opportunities to public health and health governance, and on the other, how these same innovationas are leading to new vulnerabilities, inequalities and risks: both in the domain of public health governance, and in the domain of research on public health – what are effective and ethical ways to conduct empirical research, and what are the pitfalls? How is digitalization helping physicians and clients to stay more healthy, and how can it help to prevent risk?
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Monday 6 June, 2022, -Paper short abstract:
We herein describe the design and implementation of a computerized decision support system which simply and efficiently increased compliance with diabetes inpatient treatment by medical staff.
Paper long abstract:
Over a third of inpatients have diabetes and high blood glucose is very common in the hospital setting. Diabetes and high blood glucose significantly increase medical complications during hospital stay. Treatment of high glucose requires multiple medical team members to collaborate in a relatively complicated protocol of repeat glucose measurements and medications. Our diabetes team implemented a user friendly computerized decision support system integrated into the patient treatment software to assist with treatment and follow-up. The system included guiding alerts that diabetes treatment should be changed; a treatment calculator that personalizes insulin doses for each patient at each moment; and a clear display of glucose measurements and insulin doses. Implementation was conducted gradually through the hospital by brief training sessions of physicians and nurses with repeat instructions as needed. Hospital-wide use of this system increased cooperation with the diabetes treatment protocol due to a better and clearer recognition of needed steps in different situations. Nurses were highly satisfied with their autonomy in increasing insulin doses as needed and minimization of their need to consult a physician when they detect high blood glucose. According to our experience carefully designed computerized decision support systems that reduce workload and efficiently guide medical care have a potential to improve treatment.
Paper short abstract:
This paper takes the case of a digital mental health application (Mindstrong Health) to analyze and theorize usage, perceptions of its self-tracking and self-monitoring audience; and reflects on it’s effective impact on users’ mental health.
Paper long abstract:
Mindstrong Health is a medical app that provides digital mental health support but is mostly characterized by its use of data collected through the way people use their smartphones. The underlying assumption behind the working methodology and selfproclaimed goals of the app can be taken in a broader context of the self-tracking and self-monitoring developments. The research question of this paper is: How can the ideology behind the Mindstrong Health app be understood in the discourse where technology is perceived as the ultimate solution? To answer this question the concept ‘technological fetishism’ deriving from David Harvey and ‘solutionism’ of Evgeny Morozov will be guiding. The former concept leads to discuss the way technology is perceived as a phenomenon that holds the power to overcome issues. This blind faith in technology, argues Harvey, provides technology of ‘magical powers’ while at the same time it is alienating the process that precedes or is intertwined with technology. While Harvey builds his argument following Marx and the mode of production, does Morozov discuss technology in the context of advanced technology where internet and self-tracking are major players, combining those features in the concept ‘solutionism’ (2013: 5).
Paper short abstract:
Steganographia engages with the current state of digital data stored in synthetic DNA by utilizing analogue and digital photographic processes as a means of materializing this emerging technology.
Paper long abstract:
The future of digital data storage is uncertain as we are pushing up against the physical capabilities of current digital storage options and rapidly approaching a data storage crisis. DNA is an information dense material and offers a chemical means of storing data for potentially thousands of years, far exceeding the average lifespan of current storage platforms. DNA emerges as a means to simultaneously piece together the past and safeguard against decay in the future. Steganographia embodies a potential for visual experimentations utilizing photographic image-making, which addresses the cultural, historical, artistic, and technological aspects of emerging DNA storage technologies.
Digital technology is often discussed as diametrically opposed to its analogue counterpart, framing the analogue as corporal and digital as incorporeal. This is especially true in discussions of "old" analogue and "new" digital photography. DNA storage upends that long held belief, by offering an analogue solution to the forthcoming digital data storage crisis. Current literature speculates that DNA storage will be an end-to-end digital process (computers will exclusively deal with synthesizing and sequencing DNA), wherein forecasted ubiquitous use of this storage method will appear entirely digital, belying its gooey chemical center.
Steganographs tie to the creative practices and means of visual production by making the photographic works the site of the collection. Coupling DNA data storage and photographic practices offers a framework with which to encounter discussions surrounding this emerging technology.
Paper short abstract:
Within the literary discussion on ethical AI, Several scholars have concluded that what is lacking is on-the-ground empirical evidence that shows how socalled ‘responsible’ big data-systems and AI unfolds in daily work practice. This paper aims to contribute by providing etnographic data from two contrasting cases in the realm of public health.
Paper long abstract:
This paper shares etnographic data on the practical outcomes of three different cases of big-data and AI-usage that are currently used in the realm of public health: a free-of-charge health incentive application that is used by volunteering citizens aiming to improve their health, and an application that is used against payment that is used by people who are concerned about the potentiality of skin cancer. The case were selected for two main reasons: firstly, they are both widely regarded as succesful and ‘best case’ examples, which makes it well possible that they will soon be scaled up widely and makes it all the more relevant to study their impacts for public health. Secondly, they are both characterized by the medical experts and other stakeholders involved in their management and creation, as ‘ethical’ or responsible AI – as said, there is not much empirical data that researchers the concrete usage of such ethically designed systems, while these case studies were well suited for such an analysis. The research involved observations during stakeholder meetings, observations of the interaction between medical experts and data analysts with health data systems, and semi structured in depth interviews with most important stakeholders.
Paper short abstract:
In the European-Taiwanese project Horizon AAL (HAAL), an AI-based dashboard is being developed that can act as a decision support tool for caregivers by providing insight into the health and well-being of community-dwelling people with dementia and helping them to assess the care and support needs of their clients. In the dashboard, the data from a number of interoperable AAL (Active and Assisted Living) solutions are gathered and analysed in order to provide insights and predictions about the health and well-being of the PwD.
Paper long abstract:
The dashboard may also provide recommendations that help caregivers to assess the care and support needs of their clients. the increasing advancements of AI-technologies come with both promises and perils, the proper embedding of healthcare technologies driven by AI requires innovators and other stakeholders to actively anticipate and reflect on the opportunities and risks and to be responsive to societal values, needs and expectations. In this line, we are exploring the opportunities and risks of using the AI-based HAAL dashboard, and the actions that can be taken in the design and deployment of the platform to achieve meaningful and responsible innovation. We use a mixed-methods approach, including a survey, semi-structured interviews and focus group sessions, to explore the views of HAAL project partners, end-users and experts on this topic. In particular, we compare between the Dutch, Italian and Taiwanese views on responsible AI innovation, thereby exploring how to be sensitive to both the wider applicability and the local embedding of technology. This paper shares the insights of the first research phase, including a survey and focus group session with project partners.