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Friday, April 27, 2012

X: Xerox and X-rays

X-rays and Xerox:  The ability to see through  and copy everything. 

http://www.neologica.it/eng/DICOMJet.php
X-rays revolutionized health care.  We can actually see inside the human body.  This is a good thing but, often we find irrelevant information.  Each human body is unique with it's own oddities. Do we really need to see everything in there?  I know, I  know.  I order tests all the time to diagnose my patients, but sometimes you find something that's a variation on normal, and well, then what do you do with it? Subject your patient to more costly tests?  Monitor it?  Do nothing? 
Information is great, but you can have too much information.  You know, like the friends that want to tell you everything from bowel habits to what their boyfriend said five seconds ago, and ten seconds ago,etc...
In health care you want all the relevant information to make a sound clinical judgement.  But, too much can be harmful.  For example, over-exposure to radiation can cause changes in the body's cells leading to various illnesses. 
Sometimes in life not sharing information can be more beneficial than just putting it all out there, especially in the workplace.  Not every co-worker needs--or wants--to know every detail of your life. Think before you expose, especially at work.  Once it's out there, you can't take it back.
 
Xerox is a company that also has made life easier.  We can copy on a machine in seconds with just a touch of a button.
Technology has made it so that  you don't have to copy everything. This saves wasted space, trees, time, resources.  Copy only things that are important and you need to keep. 
You know were this is going, right?  In your job and in your life you're going to see many ways of doing things.  Be discerning.  Copy only those that are productive.  Or better yet, strive to be someone to be copied. Create your own ideas. Think of how you would like it done and do it. Be a communicator.  Be kind and considerate. 

X-Rays and Xerox:  see through and copy everything.  But before you do, ask yourself:  Should I?

Don't over-expose yourself. 
Be an original, not a Xerox copy. 

4 comments:

  1. Wow! Great post, and very good advice. I think you had a lot of fun with this post. Well done you.

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  2. This one was fun to do. It's something we deal with every day--especially the X-Rays!

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  3. I like that idea of being an original, not a Xerox!

    ScribblesFromJenn
    Happy A to Z-ing!

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