Technology has affected nearly any and every industry that exists on the horizon. Few can think of an industry that has not been substantially changed and altered based on the developments that have been brought to it courtesy of the technology space changing in such a rapid way. The healthcare industry has not changed as much as other industries; but the ability to communicate about health certainly has.
On this note, Helen Schifter is very clear in her position that technology can and should be used as a constructive resource to promote healthy living. Indeed, there hasn’t been an adequate enough investment made among those in the healthcare community to seek to employ technological platforms and tools to promote healthy living among the masses.
To be clear, this is a view of a majority of healthcare professionals. There’s little doubt about the veracity of this statement. It’s for this reason that Helen Schifter is far from the only health commentator who has said so. So what are the different ways that technology can be employed for such a noble and constructive purposes as promoting healthy living among members of the public?
For one, many younger people who have been plagued by the obesity pandemic included, turn to influencers on digital and social media channels to get their information and encouragement in terms of how to conduct themselves. This is a pattern that’s exhibited itself in a far more pronounced way in recent years and for good reason.
Younger people are increasingly turning to Twitter, Facebook and other social media channels in order to consume their regular doses of information and news. They all have role models, as any younger person naturally does. These role models or influencers utilize these platforms to communicate messages they have a special degree of passion for.
Helen Lee Schifter therefore says, “why not use these platforms to communicate messages concerning the need for younger people to value health and wellness more than they presently do?” This is an excellent point and one that should be praised as commendable for the obvious reasons. If we don’t care to change the minds and perceptions surrounding the importance of health and wellness among young people, who will? The responsibility is ours indeed. Helen is absolutely right.
