iPads for Everyone!
Here is some new information from an article in the American Medical News:
The VA is launching the “Clinic-in-Hand” pilot program as part of the mobile health initiative. One thousand family caregivers of veterans will be given Apple iPads loaded with apps to help them provide care and communicate with the veterans’ physicians. The iPads and their loaded apps are “designed to increase the convenience of health care management and strengthen communication among veterans, family caregivers and clinicians.” The VA awarded a 12-month, $350,000 contract to District Communications Group, a veterans-owned communications consulting firm based in Washington, to carry out the mobile health initiative.
Wow, that sounds great except their is no proof that this works. I am not against technology nor am I against studying new ways to deliver care. So, go for it…..but, wait a minute, where is all this money coming from? I wish I could just dip into that pot. Now that I think about it, the kindergardeners in my school district just got new iPads this year as well. There was no proof that it would increase their learning, either. That’s weird. Hmmmm, where is this damn money coming from. Oh, right, my taxes! I just love when people give away free iPads with my money.
And Apple couldn’t afford the $350K to donate to the VA?
I’m a caregiver for a disabled veteran and was not offered an iPad. There is no reference to that program on the caregiver.va.gov/ website that I can find. Most of what’s there is only for the post-9/11 veterans anyway. My veteran has been disabled since before 9/11.
Sorta gives a whole new twist to the old “Apple a day” adage, doesn’t it?
Come on, this is an experiment-how could we expect ex ante facto to have proof it will work-would that be scientific? I share your concern about the iPads for kiddies-today’s NYT has an article re the fact that kids are using computers & other gizmos to kill time with, especially disadvantaged kids. All kids average 11 hours or so PER DAY playing games, facebooking, etc. Now that worries me, as I see it in my grandkids.As far as your taxes go, how many days of the unfunded Iraq/Afghanistan debacles would $350,000 fund?
Are we only worried about wars that are unfunded, or – by definition – the REST of the federal government that is likewise extra-constitutional and unfunded? As this is a medical blog, I offer Medicare and Medicaid as two culprits with vastly greater deleterious future consequences.