Be the Life of the Party!
Amaze your friends! Baffle the people you work with! When you wear your startling Tech Spex (not affiliated with world-famous X-Ray Spex), you will appear to see through vaporous vendor claims at trade shows, complete software engineering feats that others say are impossible and define the appropriate use of technology in death-defying medical practices. Yes, you can do what seems unbelievable with the astonishing Tech Spex, and only you know the secret.
And that secret is … shhhh, this is just between you and me … open your mouth!
That’s right, you already have all the talent needed to be the life of the party, the guru of your institutions’s technology, the sultan of service management, the kingpin of clinical equipment expertise, and you owe it to the organization you work for — be it hospital, independent or manufacturer — to stand up in front of the group and show what you can do with those Tech Spex of yours.
You say you need a little help? You say you know the technical aspects of your job, but not the patter needed to perform with the suits? That’s where 24×7 can offer a little assistance.
24×7 has always been about the career of healthcare technology management, and we’re adding a new department that reflects this. I’m calling it “B-School,” the MBA’s slang for business school. We begin this month with a human resources topic that is very much in the news: overtime. Healthcare is under a great deal of scrutiny for the use — and abuse — of mandatory overtime. What is normal overtime and what is “too much”? Enroll in “B-School” on Page 42 and we’ll help you sort it out.
In future months you’ll find “B-School” sessions on accounting, planning, logistics, contracting and other topics to help you become a better manager. Look for them.
If there’s one thing that bugs me time and time again, it’s hearing people whine, “I can’t fix it without the software.” That’s hooey! Software is overrated. Nothing gets me angrier than the cult of the computer industry and the mistaken belief that software is beyond the comprehension of mere mortals. Remote service access falls into that category. It’s useful, sure. But so is a screwdriver and you learned how to operate that, didn’t you?
This month we feature two people who have made important contributions to demystifying service software, and neither one has a computer science degree. Mike Weaver was an imaging service engineer who worked for R Squared when that company was creating the first independent MRI diagnostics — and he has a story about welding a tire iron. Let’s hear Bill Gates tell a welding story! The interview with Mike begins on Page 34.
Kevin Carpenter is a biomed and imaging service tech who doesn’t accept the line, “You can’t do that.” He made his own remote access server for about $200. Build one yourself. The instructions are featured on Page 32.
Stepping away from computers for a moment, let’s talk about trade shows. Shows are a wonderful place to gather information and hone your people skills. However, a large show will also leave you physically and intellectually drained, unless you turn to Page 26 and heed the advice of the Ambitious Attendee, 24×7’s resident expert on the trade show circuit. He’s got restaurant, telephone and footware advice that will make life on the road a lot easier. All you’ll need to do is stuff your bag with yo-yos, squeak toys, coffee cups and other Johnson Smith catalog merchandise.
Apply your new-found show-going skills at RSNA. Our quick preview of the Radiological Society of North America meeting is on Page 38, along with our recommendations for food and frolic in Chicago.
Remember, the magic of Tech Spex is easy, now that you know the secret!
