Last Friday (the 13th – Nov 2015 ) in Auckland NZ, we had a Go Live Workshop with a group of community healthcare workers. We said goodbye to the paper form and made the step to mobile health with tablets. The average age was probably over 40.
I’ve been doing this for over 8 years and I still get a buzz when I work with non teckkie mature people who adapt to new technology easily, despite their Manager’s foreboding. Blows away some of those preconceptions.
In Health, it’s usually because community health workers know that, if they master this mobile health change, it will be good for their clients. There is no moaning about “I’m too old to change” or about how odd it feels to not be using paper. Or, how unprofessional this is. They just get in and learn because it’s one of those changes that is quantifiable in it’s impacts. We all know this. NZ Health has a big budget for health but it’s still probably not enough for the “I’m going to live for ever” generation sometimes known as Baby Boomers. We want new limbs, eye, shoulders, internal organs etc etc . But as we know, this all costs.
So if each community nurse can see 5 more people in a month, that’s financially helpful.
But change is usually hard. I have worn glasses for over 50 years and have recently had new lens attached directly to my eyes. Every morning I still reach over for my glasses to begin the day. I’m not sure how long it will take before it doesn’t feel odd! Still – go back – no way!
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