From Idea to Use
The objective of the case study presented here was to develop and investigate the use of a novel e-health technology called the Memory Stone. This personal device was intended to be used for storing information and enabling communication with the healthcare information system. It would also serve as an intimate repository during the pregnancy, and as such, function as a learning tool during the course of a pregnancy. Using a participatory design approach, the work was performed in collaboration between a multidisciplinary research team, ten pregnant women, and eight healthcare professionals including midwives, general practitioners and medical specialists. In this chapter, some more or less problematic issues encountered during the case study will be discussed and put forward as topics to be considered in future research concerning e-health technology. This discussion includes areas such as initiative versus creativity, methodological issues, stakeholder interests, and other difficulties when introducing novel information technology in a healthcare context.