The University of Texas Medical Branch
E-Mail Age Scenario
Assessment of Current Situation

April 2002

Background

During the period 1999-2000 UTMB implemented a scenario planning process and documented four alternate views (scenarios) of the future environment the institution may face. One of the scenarios, the E-Mail Age, anticipates significant advances in technology and a high degree of consumerism. In the E-Mail Age patients, students and other consumers will drive the marketplace through increased knowledge and personal choice. Technology increasingly powerful and widespread will be the enabling tool. Our customers and partners will use technology to access the services they want with little regard for geographic limitations. The E-Mail Age was identified as the most plausible of the four scenarios. Events over the last 12 months indicate the apparent reality of the E-Mail Age. 

Charge

The task force was charged with reviewing the E-Mail Age guideposts, identifying which guideposts have occurred, and assessing the degree of implementation of E-Mail Age strategies within the institution. The assessment findings should be documented in a report to the President by the end of March 2002.

Approach

The task force met twice and reviewed each of the previously documented (November 2000) technology, consumer, economic, and legislative/regulatory guideposts. The task force rated each guidepost using a scale of –4 to +4 where –4 indicated there was no evidence that the guidepost had occurred and a different scenario may be occurring; and where +4 indicated the guidepost was clearly evident and the E-Mail Age was reality. The ratings were the consensus of the task force and were based on national and UTMB events. The detail is attached as Appendix A, ‘ E-Mail Age Guidepost Assessment’.

The task force also reviewed each of the E-Mail Age strategies and identified the current status of UTMB activities associated with each strategy. The detail is attached as Appendix B, ‘ E-Mail Age Strategies Assessment’.

Findings

1. After a detailed review of the E-Mail Age guideposts, it is the consensus opinion of the task force that the nation is indeed in the E-Mail Age as defined by the significant use of technology as an enabler, and an ever evolving degree of consumerism.
   

2. Guidepost events at UTMB are tracking with national events for many of the guideposts.
   

3. There are several programmatic areas in which UTMB is doing very well.

1. Telemedicine Programs

2. Educational Technology - SON/SAHS only

4. There are areas of significant disparity between national and UTMB events with regard to the following:

1. Availability of bandwidth

2. Development of Web-based platforms

3. Evolution and use of wireless technology

4. The development of the virtual EMR

5. Genome data mining/genetic information

6. Development of partnerships with pharmaceutical companies

5. There is a general lack of institutional awareness of the strategies UTMB should be implementing in order to prosper in the Email Age, however, there are components of faculty and staff who are making progress implementing the strategies

6. The task force recommends that resources be dedicated to the continuous review of the E-Mail Age guideposts and the identification of new guideposts. Assessments of the type performed by this task force should occur on a regular basis and be broadly communicated within the institution.

7. The task force appreciates the opportunity to assess this matter and will be pleased to meet with President Stobo to discuss the findings.

Respectfully submitted: