Medical Device Link.

DESIGN

Knowledge transfer networks

The Health Technologies Knowledge Transfer Network (HT KTN)¹ was initiated in February 2006. It is one of a number of similar schemes designed to deliver the United Kingdom Government’s Technology Strategy. The network brings together the views of business, research and technology organisations, the clinical base, academia, trade associations, financiers and others in the medical device and health-care community. It provides a range of initiatives that facilitate knowledge exchange, business innovation and technology translation including special interest groups, the Clinician’s Forum, and the website www.clinicalneed.com.²

An integral part of the HT KTN is an Internet-based communications portal, which can be accessed at www.healthtechktn.com. This provides a repository for information, conferencing and collaboration that is freely available to all registered users. Registration is quick and free. Casual browsers have access to dynamic news feeds to articles of interest and a current events listing by Really Simple Syndication, an online news delivery technology. The real power of the portal, however, is revealed once a user registers and logs in.

Enhanced communications tools

Registered users have access to additional content and impressive communication and collaboration facilities. The Interwise online communications tool allows free and easy creation of, and participation in, virtual meetings between parties anywhere the world. Document and data sharing is easy and meetings with up to 100 participants can be held. The system uses Voice Over IP technology, thus the quality of communication is excellent and the equal of commercial systems costing many thousands of euro. Virtual meetings may be set up by any registered HT KTN member. To participate, members must download and install the free Interwise client software, which is available from the HT KTN website as part of the easy process of configuring PCs for conferencing.

Participants are invited by selecting their e-mail address; they then receive an automatic e-mail with details of how to join the meeting at the required time. Meetings can be open to all HT KTN members or kept private to invitees only. They can be recorded for playback in the future or kept confidential. The client software is easy and intuitive to use. Dr John Egan, Managing Director of BITECIC Ltd, a UK-based medical device research company, uses the conferencing facility for meetings with customers in Japan and the United States. He said, “The portal’s communications facility has transformed the way we do business with customers around the world. For a small organisation such as ours, the time and cost savings in meeting our customer’s needs have been invaluable.”

Secure access

Business Collaboration Server (BCS) facilities are also available on the portal and provide customised, secure and centralised information storage and sharing. This facility is useful for those who run multicentred projects or are seeking a facility for centralised administration of their data.

Once the secure collaboration area has been set up, user access can be controlled to all or part of it, as required. This area can contain document folders, project calendars and schedules. Permissions can be assigned to users to control the level of access to the collaboration area, and this is highly customisable. For example, users may be allowed read-only access to limited areas of the collaboration space, with some areas inaccessible, or may be assigned full access and editing rights, or combinations of these.

New folders can be added at will. Authorised contributors can submit documents to the system by e-mailing them to the nominated folder. Document versioning control is possible and project reports can be uploaded in draft format, checked and sent back by authorised editors for amendment and review. Authorised users can subscribe to many areas of the collaboration area, which means that they are notified automatically of changes or additions without the need to log into the system.

Online information repository

The portal provides access to a wealth of information. For example, a major feature is the “Who is doing what?” matrix, which provides downloadable comprehensive details of industrial and academic activity in health technology-related subjects. Users may also access the InfoCentre, the main gateway within the portal to all information resources including medical device regulations, downloadable roadmaps, technology articles and the latest additions of video presentations by technology experts. Presentations in the areas of orthopaedic technology, maxillofacial technology and cardiovascular technology are currently available; to access these, users need to install the free Flash Player. Special interest groups in materials, cardiovascular technology, urology and orthopaedics have their own dedicated areas.

Clinical input

There is also a Clinicians’ Forum, designed to facilitate collaboration between clinicians. The Forum is intended to be a vehicle for the clinical community to air their views and be represented to other organisations involved in health care. Membership of the Forum is free and open to anyone who is a full-, part-time or retired clinician, whether in the public or private sector or part of a University group. Interest in any clinical discipline is welcomed. Clinicians interested in joining the forum should contact the forum administrator: administrator@healthtechktn.com

New groups

The Yorkshire Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Group (BITEG) recently became part of the HT KTN portal, with its own set of dedicated pages relating to its interests, activities and members. This sort of collaboration is clearly of benefit to all parties and is something that the HT KTN management encourages.

Feedback

The HT KTN Internet portal is now entering a new phase of growth and development as new facilities become available online. Feedback on the content, scope and direction of the portal is welcomed.