Researchers seek health IT tools for seniors

A five-year study funded by a $9.5 million grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality will investigate ways in which communication and information technology can improve healthcare services for—and, in turn, the health of—older adults.

Three University of Wisconsin research centers will collaborate on the project, which will be led by David Gustafson, a research professor of industrial systems and engineering. They will explore ways in which technology can help seniors live independently in their homes for as long as possible, according to AHRQ's website. They will also examine technology's applications for reducing unnecessary healthcare utilization, expanding service networks, and developing innovative practices to put research findings into practice.

The project, designed to serve eventually as a model for other states to follow, according to AHRQ, is called Bringing Communities and Technology Together for Healthy Aging. "This study holds great potential for helping older adults continue to live long and productive lives in their own homes,” Gustafson said in a news release from the university's Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies, or CHESS. Gustafson is the founder of the Center for Health Systems Research and Analysis and the principal investigator for CHESS.