BlogMonday 16th May, 2011-05-16
Today I am struggling, probably like millions of others, with too much to do and not enough time to do it in. I am writing a magazine story about one of the world's foremost authorities on social media, IT innovation and the health and aged care spaces.
He is Dr Jay Parkinson, who I had the good fortune to meet while covering the Aged Care Association Australia annual congress in Melbourne last year.
Dr Jay was one of the keynote speakers and was so well received that he is coming back again to this year's congress.
Just to refresh the memories of those who heard him and to introduce him to those who haven't, here is a brief excerpt from his presentation.
Healthcare is light years behind other sectors of the economy in its adoption of technology.
It's still driven by pens, pencils, paper and memories. You can't advance pen and paper, its 19th century stuff. It has to change to survive and the adoption of new technology is the only way it can.'
Dr Parkinson was the first medical practitioner in the USA to take online patients and charge them via a visa card. His practice boomed. He told conference delegates that most people only spend a few hours a year with their doctor; most people look after their own health quite nicely.
I like to classify doctors into those who get it and those who don't,' said Dr Parkinson. By get it I mean those who get the IT message and how those changes to the way they service their clients works. We should design the healthcare system and the healthcare payment system to service those who get it and not those who don't! Unless those changes are made the healthcare system will be unsustainable.'
