Diffusion of innovation: enhancing the dissemination of the Ponseti method in Latin America through virtual forums

Asitha Jayawardena; Allison Boardman; Thomas Cook; Florin Oprescu; Jose A Morcuende

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Diffusion of innovation: enhancing the dissemination of the Ponseti method in Latin America through virtual forums

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Diffusion of innovation: enhancing the dissemination of the Ponseti method in Latin America through virtual forums

Asitha Jayawardena, Allison Boardman, Thomas Cook, Florin Oprescu and Jose A Morcuende

The Iowa orthopaedic journal, Vol.31, pp.36-42

2011

PMCID: PMC3215111

PMID: 22096417

Appears in Diamond Open Access

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3215111/View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

This ethnographic study evaluated the use of low-bandwidth web-conferencing to enhance diffusion of a specific best practice, the Ponseti method to treat clubfoot, in three economically diverse countries in Latin America. A "Ponseti Virtual Forum" (PVF) was organized in Guatemala, Peru and Chile to examine the influences of economic level and telecommunication infrastructure on the effectiveness of tins approach. Across the three countries, a total of 14 different sites participated in the PVFs. Thirty-three Ponseti-trained practitioners were interviewed before and after each PVF, which included interactions with a Spanish-speaking Ponseti method expert. Semi-structured interviews, observations, and IP address data were triangulated and analyzed. The results demonstrated that 100% of the practitioners rated the sessions as very useful and that they would use this approach again. The largest obstacles to using PVFs were financial (7 out of 9 practitioners) in Guatemala; a lack of equipment and network access (6 out of 11) in Peru; and the organization and implementation of the conferences themselves (7 out of 9) in Chile. This study illustrates the usefulness of Ponseti Virtual Forums in Latin America. Health officials in Peru are currently developing a large-scale information session for traumatologists about the Ponseti method, while practitioners in Guatemala and Chile are organizing monthly scholarly meetings for physicians in remote areas. This initial feedback suggests that low-bandwidth web-conferencing can be an important vehicle for the dissemination of best practices, such as the Ponseti method, in developing countries.

Public Opinion

Musculoskeletal Manipulations - standards

Attitude of Health Personnel

Clubfoot - ethnology

Orthopedics - methods

Developing Countries - statistics & numerical data

Humans

Internet - statistics & numerical data

Orthopedics - statistics & numerical data

Musculoskeletal Manipulations - statistics & numerical data

Anthropology, Cultural

Casts, Surgical - statistics & numerical data

Musculoskeletal Manipulations - methods

Diffusion of Innovation

Interviews as Topic

Clubfoot - therapy

Peru - epidemiology

Qualitative Research

Casts, Surgical - standards

Child

Chile - epidemiology

Guatemala - epidemiology

Practice Guidelines as Topic

Details

Title: Subtitle: Diffusion of innovation: enhancing the dissemination of the Ponseti method in Latin America through virtual forums
Creators: Asitha Jayawardena - Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Carver College of Medicine University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Allison Boardman
Thomas Cook
Florin Oprescu
Jose A Morcuende
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Iowa orthopaedic journal, Vol.31, pp.36-42
Publisher: Dept. of Orthopaedics, The University of Iowa; United States
PMID: 22096417
PMCID: PMC3215111
ISSN: 1541-5457
eISSN: 1555-1377
Language: English
Date published: 2011
Academic Unit: Occupational and Environmental Health; International Programs; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Orthopedics and Rehabilitation; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
Record Identifier: 9984040317002771

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