ESTHER BUSH
This month, the “Take Charge of Your Health Today” page focuses on health technology. Jennifer R. Jones, MPH, community engagement coordinator with CTSI, and Esther L. Bush, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, talked about this topic.
JJ: Good morning, Ms. Bush. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts about health technology. The health care delivery system and the way we access health information certainly is changing.
EB: It sure is, Jennifer. And many of these changes are having a positive influence on health care. More information about personal health will be readily available to us. Technology is being used in ways that it never has been before when it comes to health.
JJ: That’s so true, Ms. Bush. Health technology includes many things—medical equipment used during provider visits or the new types of medication our health care providers prescribe for us. It can also include vaccines, medical procedure advances or even databases that control how our personal health information is stored and shared.
EB: It can actually seem overwhelming when you think about it. It means that, on an individual level, people have to put a lot of trust in something we can’t see or always understand. I would caution people, though. Sometimes we’re exposed to too much information—wrong information about a procedure or scary pictures online. Don’t internalize every photo that you see. We can research our health problems too much and get filled with too many “what ifs.” I’ve seen it happen in my own family. Appropriate support and discussion with a trusted health care provider are still very important.
JJ: That’s great advice. For some people, changes and updates in health technology are welcome and easy to understand and navigate. But for others, using technology may be frustrating or even scary.
EB: Yes, unfortunately it sometimes creates extra barriers for people to access health care. I continue to be concerned about low-income individuals who may not have as much exposure or access to or understanding of the use of health technology. Access to this technology is an important conversation to have. We need to make sure that all patients—in reality, we’re all patients—are aware that technology will be part of our futures. We need to evaluate how improvements in technology affect individuals who do not have technology as part of their everyday life.
JJ: I agree. There are many organizations in our local area that are thinking about such things and are working to make health care more accessible and understandable.
Thank you so much for your time and thoughts, Ms. Bush. Next month, we’re talking about access to health insurance, and the “Take Charge” page will have valuable information for many of our community members. If anyone has questions about the information on these pages, e-mail partners@hs.pitt.edu.