image If you search the term "unified communications" on this Blog, you'll see that it is a frequent topic.  I'm a huge proponent of the need for better tools to manage caregiver communication and collaboration in healthcare.  For way too long we have focused almost solely on the telephone.  Granted, the phone was a great invention and we couldn't practice medicine without it.  In fact as telephones went mobile, physicians were among the first professionals to use cellular because it delivered real business value in an informative intensive environment.  But let's face it, society has moved well beyond the limitations of synchronous voice communication.  There are times when waiting for a phone call to relay information doesn't make sense.  There are plenty of situations when the telephone isn't optimal for human collaboration involving complex work-flows and information-rich content.

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You can read some of my musings on this topic here, here, here, and here.  However, just as the telephone has its limitations, reading about "unified communications" will only get you so far.  So, I'm pleased to introduce a new video we have just produced to help explain the value proposition for unified communication in health.  Today, the use of UC is pretty much confined to the enterprise environment, but as I've stated so often before, this will ultimately lead to improved communication and collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem and eventually right into the home. 

Enjoy the video with streaming from Microsoft Silverlight!

Bill Crounse, MD  Senior Director, Worldwide Health  Microsoft Corporation