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Communication Strengthens Partnerships

Complementing the face-to-face interactions of AIHA partners with modern communication techniques keeps individuals informed and helps sustain their progress-elements critical to a successful partnership.

The Role of Technology
Today neonatologists in Slovakia read via the Internet the latest journal articles on the development of premature infants, and healthcare professionals in Dubna, Russia hold videoconference training sessions about diabetes treatments with their colleagues in La Crosse, Wisconsin. These are just two examples of how AIHA partners are using technology to promote medical excellence in their respective countries.

From e-mail messaging between hospitals to videoconferencing across continents, AIHA partners have access to an array of communication and information technologies.

Learning Resource Centers (LRCs), established at each partnership institution, provide healthcare practitioners with access to computers, software, the Internet, and medical databases. Each center serves as a hub for communications and information exchange.
Partners in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary have been using one of the first mobile videoconferencing units operating worldwide. Through a satellite linkup in the mobile unit and stationary videoconferencing centers, healthcare professionals deliver training sessions on topics such as nursing, disease management, and disaster planning.
With sophisticated software programs, several partners are using telemedicine to consult with colleagues on specific cases. Partners simultaneously view CAT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds on computers continents apart and discuss diagnoses and treatment options.
AIHA's Web site-www.aiha.com-is one of the most comprehensive collections of health information on the Internet available in both Russian and English. In addition to regularly updated information on AIHA partnerships, it contains links to a vast array of health resources.

AIHA Publications
AIHA keeps colleagues current on partnership initiatives and accomplishments through its many publications. Connections, AIHA's monthly online newsletter, informs readers about important partnership activities, while CommonHealth, AIHA's flagship journal, contains comprehensive articles focusing on healthcare trends affecting the NIS and CEE. In addition, AIHA topical booklets and various brochures, posters, and displays promote awareness of successful program models.