ITR: Expertise Coordination and Information Technology in High Velocity Work Environments

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High velocity work environments such as medical trauma centers depend on robust and efficient coordination by team members to bring together appropriate knowledge and skills, or expertise. This project investigates the existing and potential role of information technology (IT) in expertise coordination in a type of high velocity, high outcome work environment: level-I trauma centers in this country. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods are used to collect observational and survey data in a range of trauma centers regarding the expertise needs of trauma medical teams, the points of expertise needs, the modes of acquiring needed expertise, the sources of information related to work and expertise coordination, and uses of IT for the coordination of needed expertise, as well as broader organizational variables. The project will contribute to the development of guiding principles in the design of next generation IT for high velocity work environments in the areas of user interfaces, coordination modes, and the evaluation of IT on coordination. It will contribute to the understanding of expertise coordination and how IT affects these processes. Finally, the project will enhance an existing multi-disciplinary research program on information and coordination, particularly as it relates to issues in emergency trauma care.