In the almost forgotten era before the Internet, if you were sick enough to go to a hospital, all you had do was lie in bed, have doctors and nurses care for you, and you eventually got better.
Now, thanks to technology, the Veterans Affairs Department wants to develop an Interactive Patient Bedside Care Tool, or an e-patient terminal. The idea is to encourage patients to "be more actively involved in the care process."
VA wants a contractor to turn the bedside TV into an interactive terminal so patients can access the MyHealheVet website, stream educational videos, view a list of scheduled appointments for the day and, who knows, maybe a surgery webcam.
I know this sounds like a great idea, but where or where will the inexorable march of technology stop?
Bob Brewin
Bob Brewin joined Government Executive in April 2007, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience as a journalist focusing on defense issues and technology. Bob covers the world of defense and information technology for Nextgov, and is the author of the “What’s Brewin” blog.
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