technology

How Will #COVID19 Transform Digital Transformation?

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The Coronavirus is having a tremendous impact on the world. World markets and travel were the first industries to feel the it. Two industries that I follow closely follow are being forced to change the way they do business… and fast. Both healthcare and education are being compelled to change how they use technology to scale and conduct their day to day functions.

My gut reaction was to see how quickly technology in healthcare may be adopted….

Providers building telehealth and other remote monitoring to tackle this disease is becoming a common theme. Also preparing the workforce to reduce face to face contact is needed. Healthcare systems will be quick to see how they can adapt to provide treatment, screening, and protect their workforce and those they serve.

It is also changing education as conferences are forced to cancel and look at virtual options. College’s and Universities are developing strategies about how to scale their classes online and in some cases within weeks or days. However this is coming with challenges. Switching to an online pedagogy with a week’s notice while ensuring equal access is a question that is top of mind…

This COVID19 outbreak is quickly changing our relationship to technology. One of the things I can’t get out of my head is what took us so long to ask these questions. With regard to telehealth, I think about how challenging it has been to adapt this technology of mental health and substance use disorders. With regard to conferences, virtual options would greatly increase knowledge translation to those who normally can’t afford to go to a conference…

Of course technology has transformed society. Of course it is making improvements. This COVID19 outbreak has me thinking about how and for whom. More importantly when technology scales “to make lives better”, who decides who gets access to it? When digital transformation happens this quickly, who benefits? And why did it take a pandemic to get us here?

My suspicion is that as this continues to spread, digital transformation will become a social justice issue. Issues of internet access, broadband, cell service, and access to computers will play an ever increasing role.

One thing I can’t ignore is where social work’s place should be in digital transformation. Whenever challenges like this come up, I think of the National Association Of Social Worker Core Values. How service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence; can guide the complexity of current events. Always have to take a moment to give a plug for social work practice to be a part of solving complex problems.

As COVID19 continues to spread we are just in the early stages and these ethical challenges won’t be going away. Technology will continue to enter our lives, reduce human contact, and accelerate digital transformation. Who will be left behind is important? Having voices at the table to ensure access and equity will be imperative. As technology continues to transform our lives, my hope is that these questions will continue to be elevated.

social media/technology/Uncategorized

#TikTok, Messaging, and Ethics

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I am not one to shy away from experimenting with social media that might not exactly fit for social work. I chronicled my time on Snapchat and seeing if it made sense for social work. It was a fun was to create content but perhaps not the best place to connect with other social workers.

Last week my curiosity got the better of me and I signed up for the popular social media platform TikTok. For those who don’t know the platform it is poplar with adolescents and young adults. Although it seems to be growing in other demographics.

Social work and other allied health professionals are certainly growing their following on twitter and instagram. The last several weeks stories of doctors and nurses using TikTok to create educational content to reach younger audiences. I first recall hearing about this a few months ago when Dr. Rose Marie Leslie created a TikTok about vaping that went viral. This was educational in nature and started a conversation around the use of TikTok to educate a younger audience about health issues. Many other doctors are now using it to create fun and engaging educational content.

Much like every social media platform you can create quick stories or snippets of information. TikTok is catchy as you can apply music, floating words, and many other special effects. Unfortunately TikTok as also become known for other allied health professionals to often mock or shame patients. Some of the ones with problematic messaging have been mocking patients who “fake” symptoms, shaming patients who don’t use “abstinence only” as means to stop STD’s, and mocking mentally ill patients in the ED.

Focusing on Solutions Not “Problems”

Social media is a powerful tool to create accurate and compelling content about the world around us. My week of examining TikTok from doctors and nurses reminded me of one sentence included in my social media ethics training…

Got a problem, create content about the solution.

As a social workers we often need to be “strengths-based” and “solution focused” in our messages we give to our clients. As my friend Alyssa Lotmore (co-host of “The Social Workers Radio Show”) often reminds us that when disseminating information via social media/media, the public becomes our client. We not only do we need to uphold imperative legal standards like HIPAA but we need to stand firm with the values and ethics of our respected professions.

Overall TikTok messaging can be pithy, humorous, provocative, and at times hurtful. Some of the trending TikToks were made to take jabs at certain topics. People often demonstrate their objections to people, places, or things. Information in quick bursts can show juxtapositions that sometimes are humorous but also can be hurtful when directed at individuals or groups of people. However taking “jabs” at our patients is never OK. If you are going to use it for healthcare, the typical messaging or norms of TikTok need to be challenged.

I am not arguing against medical professionals using TikTok. Licensed allied health professionals can create important content that matters but they should be able to do that without violating the ethics and values of their profession. We can demonstrate how things with in the healthcare system just don’t make sense. As professionals we can take “jabs” at the things that annoy us but we need to focus on the solutions. Also we have knowledge that others don’t and sometimes highlighting that is just as important.

We can re-imagine solutions and educational materials in a fun and create way. We shouldn’t be taking personal jabs about our patients but perhaps taking jabs at the systems that MIGHT have lead to the patient feeling that way. If we can’t do that without respecting patient dignity and choice, we probably should not be creating it at all. For instance rather then mocking patients in the emergency room use our expertise to highlight how we can make it better.

My TikTok Allied Health Rules:

  1. Use your expertise to make engaging content about evidence based practices.
  2. Got a problem, create content about the solution.
  3. Continue to preserve the dignity and worth of your patient.
  4. Have fun
  5. ….And did I mention don’t shame patients

Yes the messages on TikTok can highlight our discomfort with certain people, places or things but as licensed professionals we shouldn’t create those messages at the expense of our patients and our ethical principles.

You can follow me on TikTok @stuckonsw and also check out the hashtag #TikTokDocs to see those who are attempting to educate and focusing on solutions.