Assignment9ClarkKeller

Assignment9ClarkKeller

To Do

• 1. please work as a group (minimum: 2 members; max: 6 members) and submit one answer as a group (clearly identifying the members of your group)
• 2. Read:
  • Chapter 8 in Ben Shneiderman's book entitled "The New Medicine: E-Healthcare" (lecture on Oct 27)
  • Chapter 9 in Ben Shneiderman's book entitled "The New Politics: E-Government" (lecture on Oct 29)

Question 1

discuss what YOU consider the two major influences of information and computer technology on healthcare with comments on how these developments have changed:

• the healthcare business
• the doctor/ patient relationship (pluses and minuses)

Question 2

assume you need to inform yourself about some medical problem or issue (e.g.: high blood pressure, hip surgery, torn ACL or Achilles tendon, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit disorder (ADD), you want to travel to a country in Africa (any precautions needed?), ....) - choose one example from the list or one chosen by yourself and

• explore the WWW about it, and
• describe what you found out and did not find out?

Question 3

as elections are coming up on November 4, 2008:

• identify the major differences between elections in 1980 (before the Internet, Social Networking, blogs, ....existed) and 2008!
• which new possibilities do you personally see as positive or negative developments?

Group response

1. Members of the Group

Scott Keller, Matthew Clark

2. Question 1

The two main changes that digital systems have brought to health care have been the digitization of records and the availability of information. With digital records, it is easier for the doctor to collect all of the relevant information to be viewed at once. An entire sequence of X-rays can be put on the screen, and changes can be tracked over time. With the availability of information on the internet, patients can be better informed about their treatment options before they go to the doctor, and can talk to their doctor in an informed manner rather than as a passive consumer of services.

3. Question 2

Back pain is a common problem, and its prevention is something that everyone should know. A quick search on the web finds plenty of information about exercise, stretching, lifting techniques, and even mattresses. It is a lot more convenient to try some of these suggestions than to go see a doctor for suggestions.

4. Question 3

The availability of information, social networking, and mobile technology have had a large impact on elections. Currently, the Obama campaign has an iPhone application that will tell volunteers what numbers to call as part of the get out the vote project. In 1980, lists of voters to be called would have to be distributed to local campaign headquarters, requiring a volunteer to travel to the headquarters in order to participate in the GOTV effort. Now, becoming part of the campaign volunteers is as simple as signing up on a website, and getting your list of people to be called. With the ubiquity of cell phones, now campaigns are having the crowd call potential voters while they wait before political rallies. Social networking and information also plays a role. The campaigns can easily disseminate information widely by posting it on their websites. Voters can argue about policies and plans on any number of sites with other people from all over the country. To a certain extent this increases the partisanship of the voters, as it is easier to find groups of people on the internet who have their exact views, and create echo chambers where members reinforce each others' viewpoints rather than challenging one another.