I wanted to share part of a fascinating email I received that is a great example of how mobile technologies can be used in developing countries to improve learning, and even save lives…

While in Phuket, Thailand last Christmas, I had a fairly significant operation at a Thai hospital. I was given an epidural and a light sedative and the procedure began. In the middle of the surgery, my doctor pulled out his digital assistant, located another specialist he wanted to consult, sent him a digital image of the surgical area in question and got the information he needed in just a few minutes. He then began to rapidly key in to the PDA and called out to the nurse medications he wanted me to stop taking and new ones to begin taking. During this entire time he talked to me in a matter of fact voice on why he consulted the other surgeon who happened to be at a conference in Singapore and reassured me he had doubled checked all the medications for possible unwanted interactions. During my recovery, I learned my surgeon constantly had his PDA in his hand so he could access his patient notes on an as-needed basis. He admitted he was a ‘techie’ and a bit ahead of some of his peers, but he said they would soon catch up as that was ‘where medicine was going.’

I thought this was a great example of the power of living in a connected world where easier access to information and experts can really make a big difference. Our goal with the eCANDLE project at the Rollins Center for eBusiness is to assist in expanding opportunities for people from all professions to improve what they do in similar ways to which this doctor was improving his medical practice.