About the Health Knowledge Network
Purpose
The Health Knowledge Network's purpose is to foster interest in, awareness and use of effective evidence-based strategies for consumer and carer engagement in health.
The Network's primary objectives are to:
- increase knowledge of evidence-based consumer and carer engagement among people in the Victorian health sector;
- share information on research and on practical strategies for health services to adopt in relation to good communication with patients and families about their health care;
- develop resources to assist people in the Victorian health sector to make evidence-informed decisions about people's participation in health care.
The Network provides a knowledge transfer service to consumers, professionals, researchers and policy makers in the health sphere. This site is an information repository as well as an place for sharing information and research findings actively.
Staff
Advisors
- Sally Fawkes (La Trobe University)
- Linda Mack (Melbourne Health)
- Assunta Morrone (Health Issues Centre)
- Michael Summers (Multiple Sclerosis Society of Australia)
Evolution of the Network
The Network grew out of Consumer Participation and Health Literacy forums convened by the Cochrane Consumers and Communication Review Group in 2005 and 2007 respectively. Participants at both events agreed with the imperative of evidence-informed practice and wanted to be part of a network around dissemination of high quality and accessible information. Participants from these forums form the heart of HKN membership and the Network is slowly expanding as new audiences are identified.
Members of the Network include consumer advocates, healthcare professionals, researchers and academics, and government health department personnel.
HKN knowledge transfer services are also developed in support of Evaluating effectiveness of participation (EEP) projects – projects funded by the Department of Human Services, Quality and Safety Branch at four Victorian health services during 2007-08.