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Overcoming counter-knowledge through telemedicine communication technologies

Jorge Cegarra-Sanchez (University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain)
Juan-Gabriel Cegarra-Navarro (Department of Business Economics, Polytechnic University of Cartagena, Cartagena, Spain)
Anthony Wensley (The University of Toronto, Mississauga, Canada)
Jose Diaz Manzano (Department of Ophthalmology, Optometry, Otorhinolaryngology and Pathological Anatomy, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain)

Journal of Health Organization and Management

ISSN: 1477-7266

Article publication date: 9 October 2017

297

Abstract

Purpose

Knowledge acquired from sources of unverified information such as gossip, partial truths or lies, in this paper it is termed as “counter-knowledge.” The purpose of this paper is to explore this topic through an exploration of the links between a Hospital-in-the-Home Units (HHUs) learning process (LP), counter-knowledge, and the utilization of communication technologies. The following two questions are addressed: Does the reduction of counter-knowledge result in the utilization of communication technologies? Does the development of counter-knowledge hinder the LP?

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines the relevance of communication technologies to the exploration and exploitation of knowledge for 252 patients of a (HHU) within a Spanish regional hospital. The data collected was analyzed using the PLS-Graph.

Findings

To HHU managers, this study offers a set of guidelines to assist in their gaining an understanding of the role of counter-knowledge in organizational LPs and the potential contribution of communication technologies. Our findings support the proposition that the negative effects of counter-knowledge can be mitigated by using communication technologies.

Originality/value

It is argued in this paper that counter-knowledge may play a variety of different roles in the implementation of LPs. Specifically, the assignment of communication technologies to homecare units has given them the means to filter counter-knowledge and prevent users from any possible problems caused by such counter-knowledge.

Keywords

Citation

Cegarra-Sanchez, J., Cegarra-Navarro, J.-G., Wensley, A. and Diaz Manzano, J. (2017), "Overcoming counter-knowledge through telemedicine communication technologies", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 31 No. 7/8, pp. 730-745. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-06-2017-0148

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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