I live near Central Florida, so we frequently visit the Disney parks. But something more amazing than usual happened there recently. And it was not for entertainment purposes.
As an annual pass holder, I received a personalized Guest armband in the mail to quicken my entry into the amusement parks. It was nothing special in appearance, but extraordinary in action.
Admission to the park now required two forms of unique identification – a quick scan of my finger print and a swipe of my personalized armband. Via an Internet site, I could make reservations at various rides, attractions, or restaurants within the park. The armband became my expedited pass into these at times tailored meet my availability at that place, at that time, and with any special accommodation to meet my needs. With a quick swipe, my armband can also open the door to my Disney hotel room and charge my credit card for purchases on Disney property. With my online permission, Disney could track my whereabouts in the park so Mickey Mouse himself could show up at a pre-determined time to address my child by name and wish him a Happy Birthday.
At the end of the day, Disney knew my personal demographics via the purchase of the annual pass. They also now knew when I arrived at the parking lot gate, what I ate and bought – when, and where. They knew what rides and attractions I had made reservations to attend and what time of day, how many where in my group, and if I/we arrived and who was in a Disney wheelchair or stroller. And they have individual and aggregated data for thousands upon thousands of guests each day that they use for targeted marketing, follow up, and internal performance improvement.
So, let’s review – 2 unique forms of identification that must match up before going any further. Schedules that meet the needs of the guest. Improved communication among staff. Documentation and data that reflect activity, interactions, intake, equipment needs, and re-admissions to which park and when – that are created entirely by an armband on a guest.
Sounds like the start of an ideal electronic medical record system to me.