The story of eHealth

Okay, so I’ve been thinking about what the “story” behind eHealth is, and I think I’ve finally found an image that captures it.

As you can see, there’s a gentleman seemingly receiving a hug from someone emerging from the computer screen. I think that in many ways, we like to think that the technologies we use can supplant the real life relationships that we have. I suppose technologies can be used to extend and maintain relationships, but I have serious concerns about the ability to create new ones – maybe I’m wrong.

Are we, as Neil Postman writes, moving towards a society that worships its technologies because we imbue them with human characteristics? Sure, we can receive some reassurance and comfort from friends when we use ICTs to stay in touch, but it’s not the same as a real hug. The phrase “no man is an island” didn’t really have much meaning to me until recently. Now, I’m coming to realization that technologies provide only cheap copies of the real thing.

Sure, eHealth can be a wonderful tool – I truly believe that. But, eHealth can’t replace a great many things that we often take for granted.