Communications Technology Revolutionizes Care of Chronically Ill Kids

Jun 20, 2013 10:00 AM ET
Campaign: CSR Blogs

ANTONIO PASOLINI

It is hard for us to imagine our lives without the possibilities of interaction that digital technology has equipped us with. From shopping to sharing our lives and thoughts on social networks, we are no longer dependent on geo-location and have become citizens of the global village that Marshall McLuhan theorized about back in the 1960s.

For kids born in the digital age, the use of such technologies is second nature. With this digital natives in mind, a new white paper describes how new technologies can improve the lives of those kids who suffer from chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes.

It is a massive section of the child population, which amounts to around 32 million individuals in the United States. The report also tackles the need for technological innovation that puts both parents and families in the center of care for a chronically ill child.

The white paper was released by Verizon Foundation and Boston Children's Hospital. It emerged from a Verizon Foundation event last December that brought together leaders representing several interested parts, including families, nonprofit organizations, policymakers, technology leaders, practising physicians and health delivery system designers. It was written by Dr. Richard Antonelli, medical director of integrated care at Boston Children's Hospital and assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, and Dr. Andrey Ostrovsky, pediatric resident in the Boston Combined Residency Program.

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Antonio Pasolini is a Corporate Social Responsibility writer for Justmeans, Antonio Pasolini is a journalist based in Brazil who writes about alternative energy, green living and sustainability. He also edits Energyrefuge.com, a top web destination for news and comment on renewable energy and Elpis.org, a recycled paper bag/magazine distributed from health food stores in London, formerly his hometown for over a decade. He is also a happy herbivore.