Reading Assignment #1
Read the following two papers:
- Beyond the Bar Code
- To the Rescue!
Consider for discussion the following questions, plus any others that occur to you:
Beyond the Bar Code
Questions:
- How is the proposed ability to track the location of products in real
time different from the current bar code system?
- If readers are indeed placed in all newly built homes, what would be some of the positive
results? The negative? What about readers in the workplace?
- References are made to companies being able to "rule the world" and to "glittering
potential payoffs". What are some examples of benefits that companies might accrue?
- What are some of the problems that stand in the way of a complete implementation
of this technology?
- What kinds of information would you expect to be stored about an individual product? How
can the problem of limited storage space on the tag itself be solved?
- What are some potential benefits to consumers? The possible dangers?
To the Rescue!
Questions:
- What are some of the specific benefits of electronic prescriptions? Any dangers?
- There is a lot of focus in the article on electronic prescriptions, record-keeping, and
insurance claim resolution. What are some other benefits that you can imagine?
- The claim is made that both lives and money will be saved. How so?
- What would be some features of a future digital hospital? What are some of the potential
problems?
- The medical industry is described as one of the last to still be analog. Can you think
of any other examples?
- Why has there been such a delay in converting medical health records to digital form?
Briefly answer the questions in a word document and be prepared to
discuss the reading material in class