A Happy New Year to everyone. The last week of 2011 was like the first week of 2011, I was in the hospital with one of my kids because of an epilepsy-related check-up (all is well). Hospitals are the place to be to experience life at its fullest extent.
It's the place where - for many people - life begins and/or ends. You will receive personalized treatment as long as it fits into the standard procedures (think of "customized" ERP software like SAP...). It is where absolute boredom and highest suspense and action meet. Hospitals are thoroughly organized through all kinds of processes, they are certified for quality, for hygiene, etc., but they can also be the most chaotic place. If you want to meet new kinds of viruses and bacteria, go to a hospital even though they have disinfection and sanitation processes much more than any other place.
Hospitals also have all kinds of technology which helps both efficiency and medical results, but the human is at the core and without highly experienced humans the technology does not help at all. And in terms of data management you will find traditional relational systems, content management, BI systems, image processing, video and sound processing, archiving, and so forth. And a lot of paper, all kinds of paper.
Health care is a very old profession and always at the edge of technology.
With all that in mind I wish you both a very interesting year full of action and a quiet, relaxed year. The right mix will do...