Open Communication and Global Collaboration: How 'Virtual Professional Communities' are changing the way we work

Health providers need access to reliable, up-to-date information and 'consult' services in order to provide quality care. The Internet has connected them with a vast sea of knowledge and tools for communication at the national and international level, but many are still struggling to find the answers they need facing challenges like subscription fees, changing protocols, the lack of adapted guidelines or documentation on best practices for resource-constrained settings and the heterogeneity of strategies for implementation.

This presentation will introduce GHDonline.org, an evidence-based communication platform that provides professionals with free online “communities of practice” where they engage in problem-solving and share information across organizations, disciplines, and borders to improve health outcomes. Drawing on examples of discussions in which GHDonline members discuss practical issues such as the impact of metabolic complications on antiretroviral adherence, choosing a clinic management software, or tuberculosis infection control at home, we will demonstrate how global collaboration in 'virtual professional communities' is supporting the work of thousands of providers and changing the way they communicate within and outside of traditional networks, and how, in doing so, they contribute to the democratization of knowledge and foster accountability and transparency in global health delivery. This session will also showcase the Clinical Exchange private community created in March 2009 where Brigham and Women's Hospital and Partners In Health Rwandan clinicians consult with each other and on complex clinical cases they encounter in the field.