I don’t find any of these funny.
I ended up in the emergency room of my local hospital thanks to a massive leg hematoma that has produced the most disgusting symptom you could imaging in your worst nightmares. (Think the first feature of Tarantino’s “Grindhouse,” “Planet Terror.”). I was quickly checked out and sent home (diagnosis: painful, ugly, incredibly swollen, blistered and bruised, but healing slowly but surely), but checking out was like a nit from an old Woody Allen movie—you know, back when he was funny.
I had to get a text, then click on the link, then jump through a half-dozen other hoops, read serial messages sent to me, sign three documents with m with my finger, all also I could be pestered by more texts, a survey, another disclaimer and more when I got home. I also witnessed two elderly patients (I’m afraid they were both younger than me) get upset and profess complete helplessness regarding the process because they didn’t know how to use their smart phones.
This is not “progress.” It is not caring service. It is neither reasonable nor necessary.
Post Script: I have no idea how much I will get posted today. I have a Zoom legal ethics seminar to teach, I had almost no sleep last night because my leg was hurting so much, and sitting at my desk isn’t a good idea (but still necessary) because I’m supposed to keep this misshapen red, yellow and purple-mottled thing elevated. I’m sorry: there is a lot I need and want to write about. We will see how it goes.
Ethics Alarms 
Heal up fast, Jack.
From your metaphorical mouth…I injured my leg last Monday night. It is infinitely more painful now. If this is healing, I sure don’t want to know what “not healing” feels and looks like. I have no time for this…
I still refuse to purchase a smart phone. If I need a smart phone too fucking bad.
It’s not that I cannot afford a smart phone but I just don’t need it and won’t be forced to use one for basic services. This is the proverbial hill I will die on and maybe I will.
I still think about your parking episode when a smart phone was required. I guess I’d be turning around and going home. Fortunately, I haven’t had any issue.
The closest I came to having an issue was during the pandemic when the signs in the dentist’s parking lot said, “Text us to let us know you are here…” – I walked in and they asked me why I didn’t text first – “I don’t carry a cell phone.” That was the end of it.
I don’t buy product that require me to create an account or log into something to use it. I go without.
And in case anyone is wondering, yes, I know how to use a smart phone. I’m a retired engineer with a dual masters in EE and CS. If I need an app to use a product, then I’m not your customer.
End of rant.
if you don’t have a smart phone you have a “stupid” phone.
Is that what you call a land line? I don’t carry a cell phone.
I was hiking a trail in western NY a few years ago with my paper map and compass as the trail blazes were faded and mostly gone. Two young people I encountered going in the opposite direction laughed at me. They were using GPS. I finished my hike; I hope they didn’t lose their GPS signal.
Jack,
Do what’s necessary to heal yourself properly and take care of the things that put food on the table, be at peace knowing that Ethics Alarms will be fine and will fall in line, in time.
Steve
Jack wrote, “I also witnessed two elderly patients (I’m afraid they were both younger than me) get upset and profess complete helplessness regarding the process because they didn’t know how to use their smart phones.”
A smart phone and technology are simply a tools like a hammer, ratchet, multimeter, solder gun, vacuum pump, firearm, camera, tire jack, combination square, drafting compass, etc, etc. Just like other tools out there, there will always be people that don’t know how to properly use modern technology and assuming that everyone knows how to use the latest and greatest technology is willfully illogical and simply wrong. Society needs to keep this fact in mind when they try to ram their technology down the throats of everyone and treat those that don’t know how to use it as if they’re imbeciles.
Companies and technology pushers need to fully understand that there is a huge difference between being technologically ignorant and being a moron. The two words, ignorant & moron, are not equivalent so stop insulting the intelligence of customers, potential customers, and the public in general and do what you can to effectively meet their needs and if that means providing non-technological means of interacting then, damnit, get it done.
I’m relatively technologically savvy, but I genuinely appreciate interacting with other human beings as opposed to the impersonal technological approach. I intentionally don’t use self check out lines, and actually have relatively pleasant conversations with people behind the cash registers in quick markets, grocery stores, big box stores, I even strike up brief pleasant conversations with people on elevators.
Stop hiding behind your hand held devices, put it down and see the word around you, converse with others, maybe actually smile at real people instead of a mindless TikTok video, enjoy being physically with other human beings. There will be plenty of time once you get home to sit down, act like an assimilated Borg, and stare mindlessly at your mobile phone.
Hi Jack I hope you get better soon. Would it be an idea to have an Open Forum at Monday or Tuesday? I am itching to write something about the Tea app debacle, as I think this is a legitimate ethics issue that is non-political. My impression is that an Open Forum stays fresh by two days; so I will not post anything on the Friday’s open forum as by Sunday nobody will be reading it.
If I feel tomorrow half as lousy as I do right now, I may well take your suggestion. Thanks.
As a retired software engineer I consider myself technologically savvy; major problem with the technology replacing human interaction are the lack of user friendliness, and problems due to technology not working properly.
Here are my pet peeves:
Most of this is related to a desire to reduce the cost of labor. However it does not enhance the customer experience.
I think it is also socially undesirable, as this development reduces the demand for low-skill jobs; the type of jobs that are lost have a useful social function in that they teach young people how to develop work skills such as showing up on time and working full shifts, how to deal with bosses, treat customers, and be diligent and disciplined. A higher demand for low-skilled jobs also reduces crime and dependency on welfare. Even minimum wage jobs add dignity and meaning to someone’s life. A high employment rate of young people is good for the welfare and peace of society.
We also have to take into account that older people have a hard time adopting to new technology. My late father always withdrew money speaking to a bank rep in person; he did not want to use an ATM. At the supermarket you still see people writing out checks in full, and then somebody from customer services needs to assist because there are technical issues with automatically validating this check.
Jack,
I’m currently engaged in a skirmish with my healthcare providers over this very issue. Last month, I had an aortic valve replacement, and I’m now in a cardiac rehab program at my local hospital. The first step in this long process was opening an account in their “patient portal,” which is their online tool for virtually all communication between the provider network and their patients. The smartphone is the principal tool for accessing the patient portal.
For every cardiology appointment, I get day-before reminders, day-of “are you here?” inquiries, and after-visit care summaries. This was not too troubling, but the provider network has recently begun using new software which is, as your cartoon examples illustrate, overly complicated. For every cardiac rehab class (three days per week), I get the normal appointment reminders, plus a series of e-documents similar to admission papers for hospitalization, which have to be reviewed and electronically signed, requiring a total of ten signatures, for EACH CLASS. I am also afforded an opportunity to pay my co-pay in advance for each appointment.
When I first began receiving these repeated notifications for each rehab class, I presumed it was a mistake and ignored them. Then I got calls from the hospital asking why I wasn’t completing my pre-appointment documents. I explained that the process was completely redundant and unnecessary, and I wasn’t going to waste my time repeatedly submitting information that they already have in my files. I refuse to be a volunteer clerk for their needless information-gathering efforts. (Much like I refuse to use self-checkout at the store.)
Hospital IT personnel finally explained to me that these excessive documentation requests were due to problems with their new records management software, and that it was being worked on, but in the meantime would I please, please, pretty please just complete it as requested until a fix was installed. I politely but firmly demurred. When I explained the issue to my cardiologist, he took my side of the dispute. For now, I’m responding only to the original appointment reminders and ignoring the rest, except when they send me a bill for my co-pays, which are billed monthly.
The medical, nursing and rehab care I have received throughout this period has been extraordinary, but the annoyance of the patient portal and their information requests has been extreme.
Take care of yourself and elevate that leg. I suffered through a similar injury twenty years ago following a hard collision of my shin with a trailer hitch. I’ll be praying for your quick recovery.
i have grown to despise kiosks of any sort. The kiosks are an intrusion on human interaction.
The kiosks at Mcdoanlds wouldn’t let me downsize my fries.
After the airport kiosk you have to stand inline to check you baggage, but they wont let you check your baggage unless you use the kiosk even if you prechecked in from you rhome computer and havea boardingpass in hand.
At md office, there is a check in kiosk that asks you to scan your driver’s license and medicare/insurance card. after the scan the machine ask for your name, date of birth, phone, number and address. All of which are detailed on the cards you you scan, except for the phone number. When you finish manually inputting the data, you are asked to ake a seat. within moments the clerk at the desk calls out your name and hands you a clipboard with pages of of documents to undate your file. on each document there is a place for you to put your name, address, SSN. dob. allofo which you have scanned and inputted at the kiosk.
Yes, a couple months ago I was going through a process (totally unfamiliar to me) for trying to get some assistance on the copay for a new drug I needed to take for 6 months. The copay was over $1000 per month for a total of $6k, so it was a big deal.
Well, I didn’t know it at first, but the drug company called me to talk about this. I didn’t know they were going to call and caller id only showed a phone number, as I recall. We were quickly at an impasse as this caller out of the blue wanted my birth date before they’d talk to me. Well, I asked them who they were, or what company they were calling for — “I’m sorry but we cannot discuss that until verifying your date of birth.”
I declined to give that information and they declined to talk to me. Fortunately, from a different source I found out that that phone number was from the drug company and when they called back, I sighed and gave them the information.
I resent being asked for confidential information before someone will even tell you who they are. I don’t have a problem giving out that information to someone, like a pharmacy or hospital who clearly have a need for it, but to strangers?
This CS Lewis quote has been one of my favorites for many years. I find myself referring to it frequently recently:
“We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man. There is nothing progressive about being pig-headed and refusing to admit a mistake. And I think if you look at the present state of the world it’s pretty plain that humanity has been making some big mistake. We’re on the wrong road. And if that is so we must go back. Going back is the quickest way on.”
I’ve been to the hospital many times recently (and unfortunately) and never once had to use my phone.
Or when I go to a specialty doctor. What are they asking you to do with your phone?
They send you a text, with a link, and then the link leads you through multiple stages, forms,etc.
I had a pre-check thing that wanted a copy of my insurance cards. Well, I only scan to PDF and the program only accepted Png. Of course there is no easy conversion between the two. Furthermore I couldn’t proceed with out it. So I didn’t. They just copied them at the dr’s office like they always do. Frankly, I don’t think they read the patient stuff anyway as they always ask the same questions. Perhaps the main reason to fill out the pre check in questions is simply to remind you of what you wanted to talk to the doctor anyway.
One thing I noticed is the adverse reactions to self check out. Most of the time, I am not that bothered. I mostly use it for Walmart and Aldi’s. For the most part it is intuitive and there are no problems. Then there is the “pretentious” check outs. These are the ones where the computer gets obsessed about you putting the item in the bag even though it is already in the bag; and a cashier is needed to override the computer’s stupidity.
I hope your leg heals up quickly.
My wife has been the primary contact/chauffer/secretary for her father the last couple of years dealing with colon cancer and a long list of other related and non-related health issues.
Her parents are in their 80s and not tech savvy at all. My wife, along with her brothers, have to manage all of their appointments and home health visits, and everything is handled digitally.
The modern healthcare system is unmanageable if you’re not able to handle the technology. And even then, it seems to be designed to be so infuriating that you just give up trying, which is maybe their end-goal.
As a life-long I.T. professional, I’ve always been guided by a simple principle: Technology should make your life better, not worse.
I’ve seen countless examples of the antithesis of this idea over the years. Two of the biggest are the trend towards personal data over-collection and the insistence of creating an account of some sort (or worse: “Log in through Facebook” / “Log in through Google”).
These are the hallmarks of technology being used to TAKE from me rather than make my life better.
–Dwayne