The IICN offers easy-to-use access to a comprehensive and “shared global repository of end-of-life” resources. This free service connects palliative care organizations and health professionals in an international online community.
The IICN offers professionals access to multidisciplinary online conferences, mailing lists, and discussion groups covering all aspects of end-of-life care. All dialogue on the organization’s network is professionally moderated. Other services include online paging and public chat forums.
Each member organization decides what “content” is to be provided through their websites, and are encouraged to make content freely available to all IICN collaborators. A single IICN username and password give access to public content.
Organizations with extensive publication records can use the shared Growth House database as a repository for their material, which may not show up in searches using public or academic search programs. Morgan noted the overlapping interests of many individuals and groups. Being a part of Growth House’s IICN exponentially increases the likelihood of finding those with common interests to share publications, new ideas, and research findings. They can instantly obtain information necessary for making real improvements in how individuals with serious and complex illnesses die.
No special hardware or software is needed to access the IICN. A standard web browser suffices. The IICN interface loads quickly over low-speed dialup Internet connections. Even users with limited network access can read the IICN.
Lunch Bunch attendees - many of whom had limited HTML experience - testified to the ease of integrating Growth House content in their own websites. For instance, IICN members can add an automatically updating “What’s New” content feature to their websites. More than 100 healthcare websites have installed the simple HTML code enabling their visitors to directly search the Growth House database.
Growth House’s Internet resources enabled the Center to Improve Care of the Dying at the George Washington University to successfully link 35 Breakthrough Series teams nationwide. ABCD also participates in the IICN. Growth House offers free website evaluation and consultations to those interested in affiliating with it. Visit IICN member portals via www.growth-house.org/iicn.html and Growth House’s main site at www.growthhouse.org.
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