Dealing with the technophobic

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Fxguy1

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Hello all!

I'd like to ask for everyone's advice on how to deal with the frustrations that arise from dealing with the technophobic or luddites. I work in a department where I am one of a few coworkers under 40. Many of my coworkers are technologically inept and don't know how to place a bookmark on their desktop or how to set a default printer! Anytime I suggest a change it is met with resistance or outright denial. How do you work with this?

Thanks
Tim
 
You just have to keep pushing through the resistance. I have a couple of guys my age that are like that.
They will either learn as little as possible or they will never learn. Tough one to be in.
 
I hate it when people at work tell me "you're not supposed to do that" when I optimize my computer by installing Google Chrome or other applications/widgets that make computing faster, simply because it is not "IT department approved". You cannot honestly say that Internet Explorer is better than Google Chrome. If any IT guy ever says that, they should be immediately fired.

Only reason why they probably like IE is because the tracer programs they are using on their computers to track employee online activity are so old, that they cannot work on the newer browsers like Chrome.
 
Sparda29 said:
I hate it when people at work tell me "you're not supposed to do that" when I optimize my computer by installing Google Chrome or other applications/widgets that make computing faster, simply because it is not "IT department approved". You cannot honestly say that Internet Explorer is better than Google Chrome. If any IT guy ever says that, they should be immediately fired.

Only reason why they probably like IE is because the tracer programs they are using on their computers to track employee online activity are so old, that they cannot work on the newer browsers like Chrome.
Click to expand...

I had to laugh when I read your post. Our IT department has us locked into using IE (iron port denies reuqests from any other browsers, which for a while got you around the web blocking) and it took me forever to get them to upgrade our computers from IE 6 to IE 8.

Just the other day I requested that our Microsoft Office 2003 be upgraded to at least 2007 or newer and the request was denied because Meditech isnt compatible with Office 2007 and they have to write some code to fix it and then we can upgrade.

Our how about the fact that all the computer stations in the pharmacy are owned by Pyxis and not the hospital?

Or the fact that we have Cisco installed and so I can dial in from home and look at patients, labs, and medication profiles but Pyxis Connect is not installed so I cant actually, oh you know, see an order to enter it!

Or the fact the CPOE isnt scheduled for our hospital until April of 2013! What are they thinking the Mayans were right and the world will end in Dec this year and so if we push it back far enough we wont have to deal with it?

I had a 68 year old grandma who knew how to use facebook, post pics, use a smartphone, send email, etc.... why is it so hard for everyone else to get BASIC computer skills?

Oh and one more thing.... how about the fact I cannot log into the Student Doctor network at work because it has been deemed an "online community" so much for fostering collaboration with my peers.....
 
Last edited:
Sparda29 said:
I hate it when people at work tell me "you're not supposed to do that" when I optimize my computer by installing Google Chrome or other applications/widgets that make computing faster, simply because it is not "IT department approved". You cannot honestly say that Internet Explorer is better than Google Chrome. If any IT guy ever says that, they should be immediately fired.

Only reason why they probably like IE is because the tracer programs they are using on their computers to track employee online activity are so old, that they cannot work on the newer browsers like Chrome.
Click to expand...

Sparda:

Stick to things you know. If you do not understand why your IT department uses IE6, you probably shouldn't be commenting about it. FYI, installing unapproved third party software on your employer's computer can get you fired.... It's not your computer.....
 
Sparda29 said:
I hate it when people at work tell me "you're not supposed to do that" when I optimize my computer by installing Google Chrome or other applications/widgets that make computing faster, simply because it is not "IT department approved". You cannot honestly say that Internet Explorer is better than Google Chrome. If any IT guy ever says that, they should be immediately fired.

Only reason why they probably like IE is because the tracer programs they are using on their computers to track employee online activity are so old, that they cannot work on the newer browsers like Chrome.
Click to expand...

Pouring shots for everyone...more recommending things against established policies...
 
WVUPharm2007 said:
I like how it makes me appear reasonable in comparison. I didn't think that **** was possible, yet here we are.
Click to expand...

Just when you think things can't get weirder...those two chime in with something even more ridiculous!
 
Fxguy1 said:
I had to laugh when I read your post. Our IT department has us locked into using IE (iron port denies reuqests from any other browsers, which for a while got you around the web blocking) and it took me forever to get them to upgrade our computers from IE 6 to IE 8.

Just the other day I requested that our Microsoft Office 2003 be upgraded to at least 2007 or newer and the request was denied because Meditech isnt compatible with Office 2007 and they have to write some code to fix it and then we can upgrade.

Our how about the fact that all the computer stations in the pharmacy are owned by Pyxis and not the hospital?

Or the fact that we have Cisco installed and so I can dial in from home and look at patients, labs, and medication profiles but Pyxis Connect is not installed so I cant actually, oh you know, see an order to enter it!

Or the fact the CPOE isnt scheduled for our hospital until April of 2013! What are they thinking the Mayans were right and the world will end in Dec this year and so if we push it back far enough we wont have to deal with it?

I had a 68 year old grandma who knew how to use facebook, post pics, use a smartphone, send email, etc.... why is it so hard for everyone else to get BASIC computer skills?

Oh and one more thing.... how about the fact I cannot log into the Student Doctor network at work because it has been deemed an "online community" so much for fostering collaboration with my peers.....
Click to expand...

I find it so weird how so many businesses and companies are so behind in the technology world. Best example, Best Buy. They sell state of the art electronics and computers. Yet the computers and software they use would have been considered good like 10 years ago.

The only place where I've worked that actually seems to have gotten technology right is the independent pharmacy where I work. All of the computers are pretty much hand built (parts ordered from Newegg, assembled by customer). Quad core processors, 1 TB of storage on each computer, dual-SLI 1.5 GB video cards, 8 GB RAM. Good enough to run some recent video games.

Not to mention, seamless ALT-TAB abilities from Micromerchant into the browser. I remember at one hospital where I did an internship, if you ALT-TABBED from Meditech into Internet Explorer, you could potentially crash the system.
 
Sparda29 said:
I find it so weird how so many businesses and companies are so behind in the technology world. Best example, Best Buy. They sell state of the art electronics and computers. Yet the computers and software they use would have been considered good like 10 years ago.

The only place where I've worked that actually seems to have gotten technology right is the independent pharmacy where I work. All of the computers are pretty much hand built (parts ordered from Newegg, assembled by customer). Quad core processors, 1 TB of storage on each computer, dual-SLI 1.5 GB video cards, 8 GB RAM. Good enough to run some recent video games.

Not to mention, seamless ALT-TAB abilities from Micromerchant into the browser. I remember at one hospital where I did an internship, if you ALT-TABBED from Meditech into Internet Explorer, you could potentially crash the system.
Click to expand...
I agree it sucks, but from a "return on investment" sort of viewpoint, I can understand it. You know how expensive it is to upgrade hardware, especially across an entire hospital, store, district, etc. And what's the return? Your employees have a marginal improvement in productivity, maybe? If you're having crashes daily, yes, it's time for an upgrade, but otherwise probably not the best use of scarce finances. Not to mention bug fixes for the entire group after an upgrade and re-training all the staff (especially those who are marginally computer-literate).

This is coming from someone who has a work computer that sounds like a shuttle launch every time you hit the key for "search med profile" so I certainly feel your pain.
 
Ackj said:
I agree it sucks, but from a "return on investment" sort of viewpoint, I can understand it. You know how expensive it is to upgrade hardware, especially across an entire hospital, store, district, etc. And what's the return? Your employees have a marginal improvement in productivity, maybe? If you're having crashes daily, yes, it's time for an upgrade, but otherwise probably not the best use of scarce finances. Not to mention bug fixes for the entire group after an upgrade and re-training all the staff (especially those who are marginally computer-literate).

This is coming from someone who has a work computer that sounds like a shuttle launch every time you hit the key for "search med profile" so I certainly feel your pain.
Click to expand...

Yes and most employers aren't worried about things like how fast their staff can surf the internet and whether the computers are good enough to run video games. :laugh:
 
Ackj said:
I agree it sucks, but from a "return on investment" sort of viewpoint, I can understand it. You know how expensive it is to upgrade hardware, especially across an entire hospital, store, district, etc. And what's the return? Your employees have a marginal improvement in productivity, maybe? If you're having crashes daily, yes, it's time for an upgrade, but otherwise probably not the best use of scarce finances. Not to mention bug fixes for the entire group after an upgrade and re-training all the staff (especially those who are marginally computer-literate).

This is coming from someone who has a work computer that sounds like a shuttle launch every time you hit the key for "search med profile" so I certainly feel your pain.
Click to expand...


I find it hard to fathom that most of the employees have more technology in their pocket that the companies do at the workstations. If I can afford to purchase some technology so can they. The issue isnt affording it, its choosing not to use it or upgrade until forced to do so regardless of budget.
 
Sparda29 said:
The only place where I've worked that actually seems to have gotten technology right is the independent pharmacy where I work. All of the computers are pretty much hand built (parts ordered from Newegg, assembled by customer). Quad core processors, 1 TB of storage on each computer, dual-SLI 1.5 GB video cards, 8 GB RAM. Good enough to run some recent video games.
Click to expand...

Do you game during work? 2 shots if so.
 
Fxguy1 said:
Hello all!

I'd like to ask for everyone's advice on how to deal with the frustrations that arise from dealing with the technophobic or luddites. I work in a department where I am one of a few coworkers under 40. Many of my coworkers are technologically inept and don't know how to place a bookmark on their desktop or how to set a default printer! Anytime I suggest a change it is met with resistance or outright denial. How do you work with this?

Thanks
Tim
Click to expand...

What kind of changes are you suggesting? I assume any big change needs to be supported by management and if it improves patient care i can't see how they couldn't deal with the pushback. The technophobes I work with pretty much acknowledge that it's a limitation for them...the trick is you pretty much can't give them a choice.

Alternatively, are there pharmacy IT/computer gurus? If not...why not become the boss?


Sparda29 said:
I find it so weird how so many businesses and companies are so behind in the technology world. Best example, Best Buy. They sell state of the art electronics and computers. Yet the computers and software they use would have been considered good like 10 years ago.
Click to expand...

Forget retailers...it's 2012 and there are still a crapton of hospitals that don't have CPOE, EHR, etc. And most hospital systems are way smaller than any major retailer. I can't even fathom the concept of written orders. Not to mention the retailer's system probably works for it's exact purpose. I could think of a number of ways to take walgreens software to the 21st century and not some windows 3.1 lookin-ass program; however i'm sure it would require a ****ton of new hardware, training, and workflow changes.

Also SLI is dumb, unless your boss is routinely hosting tourneys in the pharmacy or running quad+ monitors.
 
psychoandy said:
What kind of changes are you suggesting? I assume any big change needs to be supported by management and if it improves patient care i can't see how they couldn't deal with the pushback. The technophobes I work with pretty much acknowledge that it's a limitation for them...the trick is you pretty much can't give them a choice.

Alternatively, are there pharmacy IT/computer gurus? If not...why not become the boss?




Forget retailers...it's 2012 and there are still a crapton of hospitals that don't have CPOE, EHR, etc. And most hospital systems are way smaller than any major retailer. I can't even fathom the concept of written orders. Not to mention the retailer's system probably works for it's exact purpose. I could think of a number of ways to take walgreens software to the 21st century and not some windows 3.1 lookin-ass program; however i'm sure it would require a ****ton of new hardware, training, and workflow changes.

Also SLI is dumb, unless your boss is routinely hosting tourneys in the pharmacy or running quad+ monitors.
Click to expand...

Oh, my boss at the independent is a nerd. While we are busy working, he's doing a raid or arena in WoW.
 
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