The digital health space refers to the integration of technology and health care services to improve the overall quality of health care delivery. It encompasses a wide range of innovative and emerging technologies such as wearables, telehealth, artificial intelligence, mobile health, and electronic health records (EHRs). The digital health space offers numerous benefits such as improved patient outcomes, increased access to health care, reduced costs, and improved communication and collaboration between patients and health care providers. For example, patients can now monitor their vital signs such as blood pressure and glucose levels from home using wearable devices and share the data with their doctors in real-time. Telehealth technology allows patients to consult with their health care providers remotely without having to travel to the hospital, making health care more accessible, particularly in remote or rural areas. Artificial intelligence can be used to analyze vast amounts of patient data to identify patterns, predict outcomes, and provide personalized treatment recommendations. Overall, the digital health space is rapidly evolving, and the integration of technology in health

Friday, July 24, 2015

The Digital Divide

Electronic health records. Each individual provider is unique. Much of it is related to generational changes in technology, (but not always)

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology offers a Curriiculum Development Center.  Implementation of a new EHR is one of the  largest challenges during a transformation. The largest barriers are 'keyboarding skills".  They vary greatly and those who used computers in high school, college or medical school have the best skill-set (but not always). 

Younger MDs expect automation such as the airline industry, the retail industry and their personal devices. Some older MDs do not know how to use email efficiently. The training ground has a wide variety of learners.

The reaction to technology may be surprising, it may depend upon where  physicians are coming from.  The younger generation sees it as a separate thing, to use. The older generation is efficient at what they already do, and will resist being told 'you will be able to take better care of your patients with HIT or EMR."

It's hard to re-train a brain. Early adopters working elbow-to-elbow can transfer brain-muscle memory.  Find the balance, understand motivations, balance, take into account different expectations, and don't stereotype by age.

The Digital Divide


Now, for better or worse,,it is what it is. It will continue to change for change is inevitable. What will evolve tomorrow is quite unpredictable, for we have not yet adapted to what we have now. The rapidity of change is becoming self-defeating.


No comments:

Post a Comment