Digital society
In a digital society, digital technology is deeply integrated into everyday life, working life, and services. Digitalization particularly impacts healthcare, life, and privacy protection. Digital technology has developed at a breakneck pace during my adult life. When I was young, I already had a computer at home, but it didn’t have any intelligence at that point. We mainly used the computer for gaming and writing texts. Nowadays, everything we needed can be done using just a smartphone.
In the early days of my nursing career, we still wrote patient records by hand, computers became more widely used about 20 years ago.
The digitalization of healthcare has improved the availability, efficiency and quality of services. Electronic patient records, telemedicine and the use of artificial intelligence in diagnostics have already changed the way healthcare operates. For example, remote consultations have become more common, enabling faster access to care and reducing the burden on resources.
In the future, technology could bring even more personalized solutions, such as AI-based health monitoring systems that predict diseases. The use of robotics will also make surgical procedures and patient care more efficient.
Digitalization has a significant impact on both the everyday life of individuals and on working life. Smart homes, automated processes and AI-assisted services make everyday life smoother. In working life, digitalization enables more flexible working methods, such as remote work and virtual teams. This can improve coping at work and increase workforce mobility.
On the other hand, digitalization also brings challenges. Many traditional work tasks are being automated, which can lead to job losses or require employees to constantly learn new things. The transformation of working life requires investment in lifelong learning and acquiring new digital skills.
Risks of an open digital society
An open digital society offers numerous benefits, but it also comes with risks. One of the key concerns is cybersecurity. Digital infrastructure is vulnerable to cyberattacks, which can affect, for example, banking systems, electricity grids and healthcare.
Another significant risk is privacy. Big tech companies collect and analyze user data, raising questions about data misuse and surveillance. In addition, digital inequality can deepen social divisions – not everyone has equal access to technology or digital services.
Data protection reform and its effects
The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force in 2016 and has been applicable since 2018. The regulation aims to protect individuals’ data and increase transparency in data processing.
In personal life, the GDPR gives citizens more rights, such as the ability to request the deletion of their data and to know how their data is being processed. In professional life, the regulation has affected companies’ data security practices and increased obligations to protect personal data. Positive effects can be seen in increased data security and better control over users’ data. On the other hand, the regulation has brought additional costs and administrative burdens to companies.
The digital society is changing our lives in many ways, especially in healthcare. Technology brings significant benefits, such as better health services and more flexible working methods. At the same time, it is important to manage the risks of digitalization, such as security threats and digital inequality. Legislation such as GDPR is a step towards a safer and more responsible digital society. In the future, ethical issues of technology and user rights will become even more important as the digital society develops.
ChatGP
I have used ChatGPT to solve simple problems. The reliability has been surprisingly accurate, but you also need to be able to critically interpret the data. AI can probably serve you better if you know how to use it properly.
I asked Chatgpt how to improve the efficiency of services in welfare areas?
There are several ways to improve the efficiency of services in welfare areas:
- Automation and AI: AI-based systems can facilitate administrative tasks such as managing appointments and reminders, reducing staff workload and improving efficiency.
- Developing digital platforms: creating user-friendly and accessible digital platforms can improve the efficiency of appointments, remote consultations and communication. Clear user interfaces and easy navigation will improve access to the service for all ages.
- Integration of information systems: integrated systems that allow secure information sharing between different professional groups, such as doctors and social workers, improve information flow and collaboration.
- Remote access and e-services: expanding remote access and e-services will improve access to services, especially for people living in remote areas or with reduced mobility.
- Proactive communication: using social media and mobile apps for health information, reminders and guidance can increase awareness and engagement of residents.
- Staff training and support: training social and health professionals in the use of digital tools will enable them to use them more effectively and provide a better quality service.
- Developing feedback systems: easy-to-use feedback channels help to identify service shortcomings and improve the customer experience.
As such, the responses were good and feasible. However, you have to keep in mind the perspective from which you look at things and want answers from AI, not to blindly rely on a single solution.
Reflections
This course has given me good keys to operate in the changing digital world of work and has also given me food for thought about how far we are prepared to go in digitalisation.
It is important to remember that digitalisation can be used wisely, but we must not become totally immersed in its charms. Especially in nursing, humanity and presence are important for good care, robots cannot provide this.
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