Well, this announcement went over like a wet noodle.
Ok,ok it edged up a whole 1/32 on the bid!
>. When will a large enough computer-literate population exist so that this internet service bears big results? My own GP's office would not avail itself of this service. His clientele is not that computer literate!
Things are changing rapidly...a couple of years ago, most people I spoke to about the internet simply returned blank stares...before that they wondered what size straitjacket I wear...now most people who have been in this country for a while have at least *heard* of the internet...libraries are getting computers with internet access...
I see this as an advantage mainly to physicians in HMO's (which, for good or bad, many are being sucked up into) and hospitals (also getting sucked up into HMO's :-)). Quite often, if something is wrong, one has to go to multiple physicians, and with a non-propritery networking system, each doctor has immediate access to text and graphical information about the patient. If the patient is computer-literate, they can access records from home or library.
The down side is security...hospitals would keep their computerized patient records behind a firewall...which is why I think patient access shoul;d be downplayed...and, in general, we shouldn't have too much faith in "secure internet transactions"...
If you're interested in my last point, you might
check out my favorite usenet newsgroup which has an archive
location on the web:
Forum On Risks To The Public In Computers And Related Systems
catless.ncl.ac.uk
Facinating information there! |
