Claflin University News June 4, 2012 Claflin Professor Dr. Matthew Guah Says Technology is Key to Reforming Healthcare Associate Professor of Business Dr. Matthew Guah is a leading expert on how technology can be used to reform the one of the most contentious topics of our time - reforming the delivery of health care. In his book Healthcare Delivery Reform and New Technologies, which was published last year by Medical Information Science Reference, Guah examines case studies of how individuals are utilizing, or in some cases not utilizing, technology to improve medical treatment. "We need to reform healthcare delivery to provide patients with choices like they are accustomed to in other industries," said Guah, who arrived at the University in 2011. "The theme here is people have to change their way of thinking about healthcare delivery if technology can be maximized to contribute as a tool." Guah's book examined case studies everywhere from the African nation of Namibia to the state of Kentucky. He notes that in Namibia, and elsewhere in Africa, the presence of technology is dramatically lower than in other parts of the modern world. While in Kentucky, Guah points out medical records lack completeness therefore limiting the doctor's chance for delivering a proper diagnosis and restricting patient options. Guah advocates that the patient becomes more of a collaborator in the decision process by allowing them access to their personal medical records, which will also contain the side effects of treatments and prescription drugs. He likens it to a person being able to shop at their desired supermarket and buying the groceries they want. In addition to providing better customer service and desired outcomes, technology in the medical industry is essential for capping its ever skyrocketing costs. "Technology has reduced costs in other sectors such as airlines," he says. Guah previously served in the accounting department of Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands. He is the editor-in-chief for the International Journal of Healthcare Delivery Reform Initiatives. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Warwick Business School in the United Kingdom. Guah also has worked in the corporate sector for Merrill Lynch, HSBC, British Airways and also with the United Nations. This is Guah's third book. Previously, he penned Internet Strategy: The Road to Web Service Solutions and Managing Large IT Projects in Business and Organizations. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.