—from Epidemiological Bulletin, Vol. 22 No. 1, March 2001—

First Virtual Regional Meeting of PAHO Epidemiologists in the Americas

The First Internet-based Virtual Regional Meeting of PAHO Epidemiologists in the Region of the Americas took place on February 9 and 12. Epidemiologists from the Special Program for Health Analysis (SHA) in the PAHO/WHO Representative Offices in Colombia, Haiti and Honduras, and from Headquarters in Washington, DC participated in this meeting. In addition to testing the technology and methodology related to the virtual environment, the purpose of the meeting was to establish an information and monitoring process for the preparation of the country chapters of the quadrennial publication Health in the Americas, 2002. For this purpose, this meeting took place before the subregional meetings scheduled for the technical review of these chapters in April and May.

The meeting was made possible by computer-supported cooperative work tools (among them, Chat rooms, listserv, etc.) that are being used by SHA to improve efficiency and communication between its staff. Those specific tools and virtual discussion spaces are available through the Internet. Rather than use conventional tools available today, PAHO/SHA professionals are designing and developing Web tools that respond to the specific configuration, ad hoc content and organization of the field of health.

In addition to a discussion of the organizational aspects of the publication’s contents and of the subregional meetings’ logistics, some aspects of the use of virtual meetings were emphasized:

1. Resource saving. The costs of meetings or telephone conferences are reduced significantly using the Internet. The only requirement is access to an Internet line with reasonable connection speed, and an Internet “browser”.
2. Record of discussion and agreements. A record of each meeting is automatically created, including the date, purpose, and exchanges between the participants. This written record, which is accessible through the Web using a security code, makes it possible to review and monitor different processes.
3. Safe discussion environment. Since this tool is used for specific meetings, the safety and confidentiality of the information discussed is left to the discretion of the participants, who determine who will be invited to the session.
4. Time organization. It is possible to set in advance the purpose and duration of the discussions. Moreover, the agenda makes it easier to organize the discussions and to focus on specific subjects. Another important aspect is that the discussion can be moderated by the person in charge of organizing and initiating the virtual meeting.
5. Synchrony. In the Americas, the small time differences allow for synchronized meetings. Participants can be invited to the meeting and the virtual space can be defined through a simple message.
6. Revisions of technical materials. With some of the collaborative tools, it is possible to display or explain specific analytical methods.
7. Links with other relevant information. The technology of the Internet makes it possible to establish links with different pieces of information that are relevant to the virtual meetings. Accordingly, meetings can be enriched with reference documents and links to technical information sites.

The SHA Program is developing this area of technical cooperation so countries of the Region can adapt it to their local needs. A first subregional effort is being carried out through the Subregional, Post Hurricanes Mitch and Georges Reconstruction Project, and the INFOCOM Platform in the countries of the Central American Isthmus, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. A note on these initiatives will be included in a next issue of the Epidemiological Bulletin.

Source: PAHO. Special Program for Health Analysis (SHA).

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Epidemiological Bulletin , Vol. 22 No. 1, March 2001