Project INFORM (Information for Rural Medicine) Phase 2 proposes the maintenance and expansion of an electronic health care information and education network which was established by Phase I of Project INFORM. This network links the offices of the Magnolia Coastlands Area Health Education Center (AHEC), Henderson Library of Georgia Southern University (GSU), the Center for Rural Health and Research (CRHR) at GSU, Carl Vinson Veterans Administration Medical Center Library and twelve hospitals in southeast Georgia. Phase 2 of the Project proposes to expand this network to include twelve additional sites. The project has two broad objectives: 1) to provide rural health care facilities (having no libraries or limited ones) with access to health care information resources available at GSU, CRHR, the VA Medical Center, and elsewhere; and 2) to provide credentialed continuing education opportunities for staff and area health care providers at each site using the latest computer technologies and the resources of the AHEC and its parent organization, the Georgia Cooperative Health Manpower Education Program (CHEP), Inc.
The specific aims of this collaborative project are: 1) to maintain the employment of an Outreach Librarian to help provide services, training and promotion; 2) to upgrade, add or introduce computer equipment at the new sites; 3) to provide Internet connectivity and access to resources statewide by means of the Georgia Interactive Network for Medical Information (GaIN); 4) to develop customized electronic products (i.e., home pages) to support and promote information technologies and continuing education opportunities; and 5) to train site contacts and health care professionals both on-site and via distance education technologies.
