In health care we face numerous challenges. One that is being tackled by the FCC, Department of Justice and the Department of Transportation is the limited nature of our emergency 911 system. Currently, if one is dialing from a cellphone, chances are that 911 cannot automatically find their location. And the only way to contact 911 is the traditional way — by telephone.

All of that is about to change. Next Generation 911 will allow for communications to be made by voice, video or text. Location will automatically be appended to voice calls, saving time and confusion when the caller doesn’t know where they’re location is — or isn’t able to verbally communicate it.

As someone who analyzes health policy (with a focus on long-term services and supports), I believe that Siri, Apple’s recently introduced natural language voice technology, has the potential to change not just our 911 system, but also to be one of the biggest consumer-facing technologies in health care that we’ve seen in decades.

Emergency health care today

Imagine this scenario: an elderly person is having a cardiac event. She is having trouble breathing and is unable to complete a sentence. Dialing 911 is possible, but if the caller is unable to narrate the condition, first responders would still be in the dark until they arrive.

Even after they do arrive, information still eludes them: some critical — including prior medical history, current medications and allergic reactions to medicines — and some logistical, such as health insurance and next of kin.

The future: A Siri-enabled 911

Siri’s main features – its ability to understand natural language and its quick and contextual deep search, information retrieval and task completion – could drastically change all this.

Once the word “emergency” is spoken to Siri, a range of beneficial activity could commence. First, the phone could video call 911 utilizing Skype or a similar VoIP video service. This would allow first responders to have a much better context of the emergency at hand. Armed with a live video and audio feed of the event, visual cues could assist the first responders as they deconstruct the problem. Second, Siri could send the GPS location of the caller.

Third, an app could automatically transmit critical information to the nearest hospital. First Choice Healthcare already has an app that gathers this information – primary care physician, current medications and any drug allergies – for a patient heading to the ER. Depending on the patient’s physician, it’s possible that the patient’s entire electronic health record (EHR) loaded into the app (or otherwise shared with authorized medical personnel) as well.

Lastly, Siri could send a text or email to the chosen next of kin, letting them know that an emergency has transpired and their family member is being transported to the closest hospital (with the address included).

That may sound a bit out of place considering Siri can’t even dial 911 right now. But the reason for that is simple: Apple hasn’t instituted a way of authenticating that a call is real and not a prank. However with video and the additional information appended to the call (again, including location), the chances of a prank dial are miniscule.

Now compare the two pictures. Which patient has a better chance of surviving the cardiac event? More than 300,000 people die from sudden cardiac events each year in the U.S. A large portion of these are preventable, not only due to lifestyle changes but also, in part, because of the nature of the emergency response and the preparation on the part of the individual. These are both areas where Siri, along with Next Generation 911, could play a fascinating role.

Siri beyond 911

But it’s not just emergency care that could be transformed with Siri. a few other uses also come to mind. Such challenges include home health monitoring and assistance.

Millions of elderly adults are living at home and are unable to fully complete needed daily tasks. They may receive some assistance for a portion of the day from a licensed health care professional, but many still only have a family member or friend stop by and assist. Regardless of what kind of help they get, after the help leaves, they may struggle to remember when to take prescribed medication and treatments, they could forget doctors’ appointments, and they may not be able to keep their family fully in the loop (until the next visit or major event happens). Worst of all, they are more susceptible to injury or worse when a medical emergency transpires.

Siri and the convergence of disparate tools

There are numerous gadgets geared toward this population. But not only are they pricey, they are also far less personal and much harder to use than Siri. Siri requires holding down the home button (the only button available on the face of an iPhone) and speaking. Who couldn’t remember to do that?

At the tap of a button, Siri will be able to set and vocalize reminders for when to take pills, can initiate video check-ups with family and care providers, and can begin a smooth chain reaction of events that would otherwise require far more time and energy to do — two things our elderly, chronically ill population have the least of.

This transition to home health care will only become more common as states look to pivot from providing the bulk of the care in institutions to care being provided in homes and communities. People not only are happier when they live at home but they also live longer, feel better, and react better to treatments. If that were not enough, institutional care is far too costly. Long-term services currently account for, on average, “one-third of state Medicaid budgets,” and 58 percent of it is spent on institutional care, according to Lewin Consulting, a preeminent health consulting firm (PDF download).

Clearly it won’t just be Siri alone in this revolution of health care. Many more services will be created, and many more similar innovations are on the horizon. But every revolution needs its leader, and Siri is undoubtedly it.

John S. Wilson is a health policy analyst and editor of PolicyDiary, a weekly health policy blog. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @johnswilson1. 

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Siri: Say hello to the coming “invisible interface”
• Social media reactions to the iPhone 4S
• What Amazon’s new Kindle line means for Apple, Netflix and online media

alt=''
border='0'
/>

GigaOM

The power-packed technology that is evident in the Xerox Phaser Color Laser 6120 printer is one of the best of its kind. It has the ability to manage and print all types of jobs and can do it in the most power and money saving way. This product offers great value for its price tag and will handle tasks so well, many people will wonder how they lived without it and the gorgeous prints produced by Xerox Phaser Color Laser 6120 toner.

When a printer has 120 MB of hard drive, it gives the option of saving frequently used material right onto the hard drive. That gives employees a time saving advantage, they just have to walk up to the printer, press in their password and in a few seconds have the documents in hand. It is that simple to use and with such a large capacity for space it allows you to store lots of files.

Many companies are learning that when older machines are replaced by newer ones their electric bills tends to go down. This is because printers such as this one are Energy Star rated. That ensures that less energy is used during use, and that features are set into place to help reduce energy draining practices. Money that is saved on monthly bills will be put back into the company overhead.

If saving time is a priority, then this particular printer might have you covered. It has many time saving abilities, including one where the printer, monitors printing and lets you know if there is an issue by creating a pop up window. When you know that an issue has come up and you find out about it right away, it can save quite a bit of time and hassle.

It is often key in companies to have important documents kept as safe and private as possible. That is why having a printer that requires a password is a novel idea. Employees have to punch in a special code in order to get into certain files and print them out, which keeps trouble away and allows for some added security where needed.

Less toner is used during printing and that is due to the high capacity toner. It is a great way to use a reduced amount of toner while in use. Printing can be done at a cheaper cost and toner replacement doesn’t need to happen as often.

Having the ability to get more work printed on an individual page makes perfect sense. It is a way to use less paper and be more productive with printing times and money spent less on office supplies. It is an option that companies can choose to use or not, depending on their needs and job abilities.

When PC and Mac are supported by the printer, it makes it convenient to make use of all programs and features. The Xerox Phaser 6120 printer allows companies the options of being connected to these computer systems and to all network connectivity. The advanced technology found within the printer gives everyone the ability to print documents in a timely fashion that is also productive and energy saving. The manufacture has gone above and beyond expectations to give consumers more options then they could have hoped for. It without doubt, is a welcomed addition to any business.

Business owners will also appreciate the professional face Xerox Phaser Color Laser 6120 replacement toner puts on every document.  Xerox printer toner cartridges removes any worries about splotches or less than crystal clear text and graphics.  Using quality toner cartridge also shows your professionalism.

It is completely necessary for your care and the safety of other road users and pedestrians that you keep a well functioning auto mobile, one of the most abiding and most often ignored constituents is the wipers. Buying replacement wiper blades is not as Herculean as at first you might believe, with a bit of helpful knowledge and some timely advice you could be saving time, pounds and guaranteeing your safety on the road. replacement wiper blades come in a big array of types and costs so it is no surprise that the normal consumer buys replacement wiper blades much less often than is required.

When buying replacement wiper blades it is crucial to consider a number of alternatives, the first is the cost verses the life span of the wiper blades. Another is the type of the substance the wipers is made from this in turn will in a large part decide the performance of the wipers. Your cheapest models are made from your common rubber and come in at around two hundred thousand cycles; they are usually made of one single edge. They come in at around 8 pound per blade so that the equivalent of paying 8 pound for every two hundred thousand strokes, so these models can be thought of as entry level and expendable. The test with rubber wiper blade is that the substance itself is vulnerable to wear and tear, and will begin to break down at a steady rate from the moment you start using them. A step up from these are the premium rubber wiper blade, these have what is known as a twin edge which basically means that instead of a single wiping point, these have two, one for the upstroke on for the down stroke. The advantage of this is that you get almost twice the quantity of wear out of these compared to the standard rubber assortment. Another benefit of this formula is that twice the quantity of work is done on each iteration and another advantage is a decreased sound volume, which is something we can all use.

A basic premium rubber wipers will last almost twice as long as the common variety coming in at around five hundred thousand cycles so this is around two pound fifty for every hundred thousand strokes. This characterizes better value for money in the long term than any common rubber wipers. Despite this reduction they still sufferer from the same afflictions as all rubber wiper blade, they are damaged by chemicals, ozone, and water and are significantly impaired in extreme weather conditions. Too cold and they stick to the wind screen and become too rigid to mould to the surface of the glass. To hot and they become to loose and almost melt themselves too the glass. The answer to this problem lies in a new substance called silicone. Silicone has all of the properties required of a top class wipers. It is resistant to all types of chemicals and pollution including ozone. It is completely water resistant and will never loose its flexibility.

Nowadays, increasingly more people spend hours and hours searching for a printer or fax and copying machine that can help them carry out loads of work, saving time and money. In fact, both individuals and small businesses are trying to find the best possible solution that combines everything in one. This is why Sharp is among the top choices when it comes to electronic equipment; the multi function machines of this company are dependable and reliable. Buying a Sharp UX 600M Printer and toner, for instance, can prove extremely helpful whether you are a student or your run a small office business.

The vast majority of people today do not have enough time to spend on such operations; therefore finding a machine that does everything is an important denominator in their selection criteria. Moreover, most people who deal with loads of printing and copying jobs are rarely satisfied with the performance levels of their machines, as most of them leave a lot to be desired – or get jammed way too often. This is what Sharp wants to change launching reliable and hard working multi function machines to the markets.

Multi function machines are very convenient, especially for small businesses and home offices; they can be used by students and professionals who do not have enough space to purchase separate machines for each function. Today, though, even bigger businesses prefer buying these types of machines, simply because they are money and time saving and they can perform very well.

Sharp machines come with full accessories and parts; a typical box of a printer or multi function machine contains all necessary cables, driver CDs and manuals.

An additional advantage of Sharp is the great response time of its customer support centre. This is usually a plague for the big businesses that sell electronic machines; if you have tried to contact a huge company you know that the average waiting time for the service department is a few weeks, or maybe months. This is what doesn’t happen in Sharp – the return times are much less as the company replaces or fixes its machines within days.

Most of the Sharp multi function machines, such as AL-1661 or UX 600M, feature duplex option, which means that you can print double sided copies; this can save you time and of course paper and is quite helpful if you have to print guides, materials for customers or co-workers and other similar things associated with loads of work.

In general, the Sharp machines are known for the speed of printing and copying jobs as well as the quality of the produced job; when printing or copying with a Sharp printer, you can expect nothing less than crisp and clear texts and high quality images.

In addition, one of the great advantages of Sharp are the cost effective accessories; if you buy a Sharp UX 600M Printer Toner you will need to spend just a few dollars, opposite from other expensive toners. This is a great Printer Toner. Sharp Toner Cartridge is trusted worldwide.

auto repair training has always been categorized as a male only job and therefore, many women as well as men have been made limited in their capacity to get on with auto repair training all their life. This caused a lot of pain, suffering and inconvenience for many. it would have surely crossed your mind a gazillionth of time how you wish that you could get some auto repair training under your belt in order to become qualified to fix your own vehicle and saving time, money and frustration along the way. Learning to get yourself out sticky situations is a must and being stranded in the middle of nowhere because your vehicle just refused to budge, is a very sticky situation.

It is not a common sense thing to know that some basic tips and tricks from auto repair training could save you a lot of hassle and inconvinience and even dangerous situations of being stranded in an unknown territory.

Auto repair training will show you ways in which you can get to know your vehicle inside out. The most basic words you should become familiar with while under going auto repair training is ‘removing and replacing’. This such as the front wheel bearing, rear break pads, headlight bulbs, fuses, charcoal canisters, exhaust hanger and replacing your master cylinders if your experiencing low break pressure are a few things that you should essentially learn through auto repair training. When owning your own vehicle, it is essential that, like replacing various parts, you also know how to fix others as well. In order to do this a basic course of Auto Repair Training can assist you again.

Everything said, before actually attempting to repair your vehicles yourself after undergoing basic Auto Repair Training, it is your decision as to if you think you are capable of making the repairs on your vehicle yourself without any assistance. It is important to keep in mind that repairing your vehicle should only be undertaken if you are confident of effectively and efficiently making the fix without any injury to your self or your vehicle. It cannot be denied though that Auto Repair Training can save you a lot of hassle on and off the road and enable you to enjoy your vehicle to the fullest.

auto repair training schools can be gained in many parts around the US so make sure you find one that is close to home and convenient so that you can save yourself a lot of time, money and inconvenience by doing your own auto repairs.

The importance of fiber optic supplies cannot be described in mere words. Everything nowadays are based on speed and accuracy and fiber optics are the main actor in the game, if we realize it or not.

fiber optic supply

Saving time is a major challenge for anyone living on planet earth right now. And the smart solution to save time has been achieved through the brilliant application of fiber optic supplies in to various industrial avenues that invariably help save time and gain revenue.
The application of fiber optics vary from industry to industry therefore, it can be easily understood that the type of fiber optic supplies used by various industries vary. The fiber optic supplies  can be categorized in to two main components depending on their application.

The first type is where fiber optic supplies are implemented in fiber optics assisted technology. These make up the core of the industrial technology that uses fiber optics as its tool of manifestation, be it internet connectivity, lighting systems or security measures.

fiber optic suppliers

The second type of fiber optic supplies has to do with maintaining the already implemented fiber optics system. So for example, if a network cable that connects the intranet in an organization has been corrupted for one reason or another, you may need certain fiber optic supplies to detect the problem. Detecting and fixing fiber optic issues is not as easy as we make it sound on paper. It is indeed a tedious and a tiring process, especially if the necessary tools and fiber optic supplies used for maintenance is not used.

It is a known fact that fiber optic supplies can be now bought even over the internet. . However, you ought to be extra careful with online dealings. It is understood that online research is much convinient than walking from one store to another in search of fiber optic supplies, however, you may not always get what you see if you buy fiber optic supplies online.

fiber optic supplies

If you are really confident about a particular seller that has an online presence, then it’s fine to confide  in him/her when buying fiber optic supplies. You should also make sure that they will provide money back guarantee or exchange of goods for any faulty fiber optic supplies that may come along.