Pharmafile Logo
  • - PMLiVE
  • - PMLiVE
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Communiqué 53 Cover Image

Saving Time

December 31, 2019 | Laggard, Page & Page, Time, technology 

Of all the challenges facing humanity, one thing continues to dominate: the pursuit of saving time.

Every invention, from the first primitive tool carved by early man, to the most modern software and digital devices, has been created in order to meet this objective. The progression of mankind has depended on it for help with mundane tasks reducing man hours, quenching our thirst for speed and, ultimately, allowing us more freedom.

But no sooner has one ground-breaking appliance been developed, than another supersedes it: a cheaper package promising a faster service and an easier lifestyle. As our appetite for advanced technology continues unsated, so our perception of saving time becomes more relative and elusive, generating a cycle of redundant ‘old’ technology and must-have, new technology.

There isn’t a single industry that has not been influenced and modified in some way by the digital world, in a bid to save on time. From the TMT (technology, media and telecoms) sector manufacturing the latest smart watches, smart phones and tablets; marketing firms that use software with complex algorithms to collect and generate data, to the healthcare sector that is using technology to develop everything from simple apps aimed at helping patients better manage their condition, to devices that can carry out complete blood counts in minutes, and state-of-the-art technology that can detect dementia years before visible signs manifest.

Keeping abreast of advances in this ever-changing environment is no mean feat. It is easy to miss a digital step and get left behind or become jaded by the continuous raft of changes, preferring instead to be a laggard: a term coined by Everett Rogers in his book entitled Diffusion of Innovations in which he describes society’s ability to embrace a new product or innovation using the adoption curve.

If we are to sail through the waves of this ultra-high-tech world, it is vital that we avoid slipping into a laggard mentality and keep pace with the latest developments. Our reliance upon the latest software and hardware, evolving artificial intelligence and deep machine learning, will likely only become greater, and more interwoven into our lifestyles.

It is no longer a case of sink or swim, but sync and swim.

Author: Michelle Burt

This content was provided by Page & Page Health

Company Details

- PMLiVE

Page & Page Health

Email
Website

 Latest Content from  Page & Page Health 

The concordance conundrum: the art of active listening

The art of active listening explores the links between effective communication and better patient concordance and medical outcomes, why many HCPs still overestimate their ability to communicate effectively and the...

The concordance conundrum: understanding the complexities of behaviour change

Understanding behaviour change looks at the six fundamental steps required to change human behaviour and discusses why HCPs need to start here if concordance is to be improved.

The concordance conundrum: creating space for open dialogue

Growing numbers of patients want a partnership model with their HCP, whereby both parties are equally involved in the decision-making process. This model has been linked with an increase in...

The concordance conundrum: the tech divide

COVID-19 resulted in the rapid adoption of virtual consultations; while they offer increased accessibility and convenience for some, are they really all they are cracked up to be? Consultations in...

Improving patient concordance: where does industry fit in?

What’s in a name? explores the idea that those healthcare organisations that develop tools and support structures to improve concordance will be at an advantage when it comes to product...

The concordance conundrum: the value of improving patient experience

This is the first in a series of articles where we explore how the current climate presents companies with a multitude of opportunities to improve communication between healthcare organisations and...

The Pivot

In times of uncertainty it is critical for businesses to take action to protect their brand image and longevity.

Communicating through video

It's likely that video is about to replace a lot of your face-to-face appointments.

Could coronavirus turn us all into online gamers?

As businesses gauge the potential impact of coronavirus (COVID-19), with a sense of fear and pessimism causing a dampening of economic activity and suspension of the stock market, the healthcare...

Love – it really does make the world go around

No two people are the same nor as individuals are we particularly predictable – we might like to think we are because at some point in time someone decided that...