The release of a new Apple device has become associated with adults behaving like children.  We camp out in sleeping bags with friends (in front of the nearest Apple store).  We stay up until 3 a.m. (to pre-order).  Some of us may even throw mini temper tantrums if delivery is delayed a day (not mentioning any coworker’s names).  And if we’re among the poor souls who have to wait, we become very, very jealous of the “in” crowd’s new toys.  Whether you’re reading this on your shiny new iPhone 5, pining away for one until your upgrade is available in January (moi), or just watching this whole game unfold like a football fan on Sunday, you’re probably aware of the existence of “device envy.” 

It doesn’t matter if you’re a consumer aching to trade in your phone or tablet for a fancier new model, or a healthcare administrator exploring intrahospital communication solutions – there are a few basic questions you should ask yourself before donning a clown costume and jumping on the upgrade bandwagon (Google the origin of “bandwagon” if you didn’t get the Bozo reference – interesting story…).

Is it necessary?
Don’t panic.  Answering “no” doesn’t categorically mean you should halt research on upgrades, but it’s important to understand your own or your facility’s motivations before assessing your options.  A non-essential upgrade may only be realistic when personal, department, or organizational budgets allow.

Is it practical?
Sure, Voalte is the communication solution used by U.S. News and World Report’s top ranked hospital, Massachusetts General.  And, yes, CNET just listed the iPhone as the best cell phone yet again.  But if you oversee a small rural facility that operates sans WiFi, or you’re in the Peace Corps in electricity-free Northern Ghana, no matter how great they sound, well, expensive ice cubes just aren’t that useful for Eskimos.

Does it have a documented history of success?
Whether it’s for posting your Facebook status updates, or its purchase represents a significant investment of hard-earned fundraising dollars, you don’t want to plunk down a hefty chunk of change for a fly-by-night device or solution that may not be around next year, or might not have the resources to provide quality, comprehensive service.  ‘Nuff said.

Is it a long-term solution; can it grow with me/us?
These days, it’s all about the “expanding platform.”  There’s no way around it – the world has changed, and when considering options for both personal and professional devices, your lifestyle or workflows are likely going to dictate that an expanding platform is the only viable solution.  Literally every day, new applications and new uses for existing hardware are developed; you’ll want to have access to them.  Be certain to make a sound investment in a device and company that has the ability to evolve with the dynamic communication landscape we operate in.

So there it is.  Now if you’ll excuse me; I’m off to pull another day from the Pinterest-inspired “Countdown to iPhone 5” calendar I created.

One of the many fun facets of my job as a Voalte clinical trainer is travel. Lots and lots of travel. Crosstown and cross-country. Short-term (I've spent less than 24 hours onsite before flying out again) and long-term (after a month in Houston, I had fallen in love with "The Big Heart," a nickname the city earned post-Katrina). When I'm not introducing new users to Voalte One, I'm kayaking outside the La Jolla sea caves, eating whole lobster in the North End (yep, wore the bib!), and watching sunkissed city kids dancing at the waterwall at Millenium Park…

 

On a recent long flight sans Wi-Fi and entertainment, I had time to do some thinking and I found myself in awe of how drastically working for Voalte has changed the way I perceive and experience our world. Specifically, I'm now acutely aware of our connectedness…all the different ways we choose to communicate, conduct business, and foster relationships.

 

Voalte is indisputably the industry leader in smartphone healthcare communications, but somewhere over New Mexico I considered that we're also still very much at the forefront of a broader movement towards more efficient interactions conveyed via increasingly sophisticated technologies. We're among the communication cowboys (and girls)! How fitting that I was thinking of this 29,000 feet over Santa Fe.

 

Of course, there are valid arguments against this evolution, trend, whatever you want to call it. People are concerned that we're swiftly losing the value of personal interaction and face time (the literal meaning, not the Jobs creation), and there might be something to that. Instead of exchanging a handshake when I accepted employment with Voalte, I signed and scanned a document. I emailed my enthusiasm to an office 1,248 miles away. So I get it. I empathize with a fear of the implications that pulling back from human-to-human connections might have on us. But while I waited for the flight attendant to reach my row with the beverage service, I put together an entirely different, more positive spin on technology-assisted communication.

 

The bottom line for me is this. All of that impersonal communication technology facilitated me finding and gaining employment with Voalte, and now when I return from my travels, I come back to smiles, and hugs, and long "catching up" conversations with coworkers that have quickly become friends. Technology isn't impersonalizing communication; it's expanding our world and allowing us access to people, places, and activities that weren't possible before. So I'm proud that we're connectivity pioneers. I'll keep viewing the world with excitement for the future, open to all the possibilities that new communication methods will bring. I've witnessed firsthand in hospitals all over the country what we have accomplished in healthcare; I can't wait to see what other industries will introduce…