The purpose of this presentation is to describe the opportunity that applying knowledge management strategies to prevention research and practice provides in improving research translation. Despite a healthy research portfolio, prevention research has not been applied reliably and demonstrably to practice and policy settings. The paper describes how the business sector has taken advantage of sophisticated knowledge management systems to disseminate knowledge in a way that improves productivity and helps them retain an edge on competition. These efforts show that technology is available to develop an online system that organizes and synthesizes prevention knowledge. However, public health faces several issues that it must address before knowledge management can be a feasible and successful venture. Among the issues is the need to balance gathering personal information for tailoring with assuring privacy and confidentiality. Another consideration is how to decide on the knowledge base of the system, balancing information quality and the need to include lessons learned. Public health must also determine whether or not it can maintain a system given the cost of maintaining a current database and the reluctance of some experts to share and collaborate. The presentation ends with a discussion of the potential solutions to the barriers of moving forward as well as the implications of inaction.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to: · Articulate the differences between knowledge management and traditional bibliographic databases. · Articulate the difference between explicit and tacit knowledge and understand their importance to prevention knowledge management. · Describe the ways in which knowledge management principles can be applied to the practice of public health. · Describe the ways in which such a system may influence the future of public health and the health of populations.
Keywords: Information Technology, Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.