TECHNO-INNOVATION AND
ITS IMPACT ON PROVISION
OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL
CARE
An Academic presentation by
Dr. Nancy Agnes, Head, Technical Operations, Tutors India
Group www.tutorsindia.com
Email: info@tutorsindia.com
Today's Discussion
OUTLINE
Introduction
Challenges with Technology Use
Opportunities
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
The scope for technological innovation for
transforming the provision of health and social care
has been widely recognized across a large
spectrum of domains and this , also comprise of
services relating to mental health ,cases of
substance abuse and to extend support to people
who are categorized as differently abled.
While the use of technology is a good thing, a
contrasting aspect that has emerged would refer to
the concerns related to privacy, ethics and
ramifications in terms of social justice with regards
to the use of such innovative technology.
Technological developments over the years, especially those involving mobile
digital information and communication technology is consistently developing at a
rate which is highly exponential.
Thus facilitating communication, information acquisition in highly innovative ways.
It has been observed that during 2013 around 36 million adults within the UK (73%)
were regularly accessing internet on a daily basis while 72% amongst all adults
purchased goods and services online.
The number of people who accessed the internet using smart phones literally
doubled in the period between 2010 – 2013 to 53%.
On the whole, the number of adults within the UK who owned a smartphone was
found to be around 51% (double of what it was in 2011) and at the same time,
around 24% of adults are also known to have a tablet. It has also been reported
that around 43% from all adults in the UK were now utilizing the internet to gain
information pertaining to health.
This trend has witnessed an increase by 18% since 2007.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the challenges as well as opportunities
associated with a growing use of technology within this context.
FIGURE 1: HEALTH RELATED QUERIES USING SMARTPHONES – KEYWORDS USED
At the outset, some specific challenges would be presented and this would be
followed by an attempt to consider technology that would revolutionize several areas
in terms of delivery of social and healthcare.
CHALLENGES
WITH
TECHNOLOGY
USE
The foremost challenge associated with the introduction of
techno-driven innovation in the domain of social and
healthcare would pertain to the capability of staff, their
motivation and training.
The provision of social and healthcare has conventionally
depended on interactions that were largely face-to-face as a
mode of practice.
Thus, any change in the interpersonal nature of interactions
has scope to be confronted as a challenge on account of
the status quo, and professionals who are worried that the
skills they possess would not be applicable to such
changing settings.
Therefore, it would not come across as a surprise when the sector of social care and
health have been found to be comparatively slow in adopting and embracing such novel
techno-developments, especially in comparison with organizations that are operating
in the private sector.
Apart from such practical challenges, issues pertaining to ethics have also during the
use of innovative technology has emerged as a challenge.
One key challenge being that technology is exacerbating certain critical issues that
have to be dealt by health and social care professionals on a daily basis.
For instance, it has been indicated through research that excessive use of technology is
causing depression.
OPPORTUNITIES
Irrespective of the challenges presented by technological innovation, it is a matter of
much significance that the concerns above mentioned would not result in an illogical
tendency towards a scepticism for technology at the cost of the advantages or
opportunities presented through innovative technologies.
As a m tter of fact, it has been observed that innovative technology on its own is largely
neutral and issues related to ethics only arise with regards to how it has been or is being
used.
This viewpoint has been projected by Patricia M. Greenfield, who deliberates that the
influence of any kind of technological development would hinge on the manner in
which it is used, and further emphasizes that it would be naïve to deem technology of
any kind to be essentially negative or positive.
For instance, though it has been acknowledged younger people are exposed to certain
risks from technology, it would be necessary to understand that technology offers a
medium that allows the scope for creating engagement with younger people,
specifically young men, a category that social care and health agencies have been
struggling to engage.
It has also been revealed that certain conventional interpersonal interventions like
person-centric counselling, could be provided in an effective manner with the help of
new mediums of technology.
CONCLUSION
This brief essay has clearly revealed certain specific challenges
and opportunities that are in existence for technological
innovation within the context of delivering social and health
care.
However, what is to be understood is that it is the onus of
managers, practitioners and policy makers within the domain
who have the power to mould the influence that such kind of
technological innovations could make.
Some commonly observed challenges of technology have been covered through this
essay, while taking into account the opportunities that are also in existence along
with the challenges.
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