Grant: Research Networks

The research agenda of the Healthcare Support through Information Technology Enhancements (hSITE) NSERC Strategic Network Grant proposes to develop an application-driven program of engineering research to design novel, advanced communications systems and infrastructures to improve healthcare efficiency through improved workflows, patient care, and safety. hSITE research targets advances in the areas of wireless communications, networking, middleware architecture, location technologies and smart systems with the goal of developing a smart, context-aware infrastructure that seamlessly follows the clinician, integrates into clinical workflows and provides the intelligence, dependability, ease of use, and flexibility needed to meet the demanding requirements of a clinical environment. The network has been divided into three research themes linked by cross- cutting healthcare contexts: Theme 1 is dedicated to identifying the requirements; Theme 2 focuses on the user interface, including software applications and sensor systems; and Theme 3 is devoted to the development of systems and networks architectures that will be able to meet the requirements of the hSITE application space. The systems developed within hSITE will be prototyped and evaluated within the context of a demonstrations and prototypes theme. Revised requirements and design recommendations will be identified as a consequence of the evaluation of designed prototypes. This information will then be communicated among themes using user interface mock-ups and prototypes as a detailed specification of how the technologies and the architecture should provide data and information to users within workflows. The proposed research structure is designed to achieve focus, coherence, and efficiency in executing the hSITE research vision while establishing a close link between clinicians and their needs, and engineers and their solutions.