A needs assessment of technology to support public health business communications

Problem. State health department staff must communicate on a daily basis with others within their organizations, as well as with local health departments, contractors, and community groups. Constraints on funding and staff time can impede the adoption of technologies that could improve business communications. Methods. A needs assessment of technology supporting business communications between the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's (CDPHE) Prevention Services Division and its partners was performed to describe technology currently available, assess satisfaction with that technology, and provide recommendations about technology solutions and training needs. Key informant interviews and an online survey of Colorado public health professionals focused on needs in eight domains: interpersonal communication, file sharing / storage, operations / management / finance, scheduling, meetings and presentations, training, external communication with constituents, and project management. Results. 141 people participated in the online survey. Most were staff of state or local health departments or community nursing associations (121), were from urban counties (117), and were program coordinators, managers, or directors (81). Key needs identified were remote access to files, email, calendars, contacts, and task lists; ability to convene meetings and training sessions using methods that eliminate the need to travel; ability to create and provide just-in-time training; ability to update web pages without help; and training on how to make best use of existing software.Conclusions. Increasing the adoption of technology such as smart phones, online collaboration tools, and content/learning management systems has great promise for improving efficiency of public health business communications.