Leaving the Land Line

Health Populi has an interesting post about a study showing that increasing numbers of people are using only cell phones for all their telephonic communication needs. 

I know several members of my family don't have land lines, and I've been tempted to give it up myself, but have been deterred mostly by thoughts of "what if the power goes out and I want to call 911?" 

Which, given the overall odds of needing to call 911 exactly when the power goes out, is not really that solid an argument, especially with the costs of a phone plan, which the piece suggests average $40 a month. That adds up, especially in these iffy financial times. 

Anyhow, Health Populi mentions the health implications of this trend, which seem to hinge on the fact that people tend to have their cell phones with them almost all the time, and to have a cell for their own use, meaning that someone could potentially be reached with personal health tips and reminders.

"Take your multivitamin!" "Don't forget to refill that prescription!" "You know, you're overdue for an eye exam." 

People could also use the GPS features of cell phones to locate nearby hospitals, pharmacies or other health services, or get directions to that doctor's office. This is the kind of help I personally need, since I can pretty much be sure of taking any wrong turn there is to take if I'm trying to find my way somewhere. 

Once they're available, I'm sure you'll also be able to respond to some of those personal prompts right on the phone: "Don't forget to refill your prescription: text 'OK' to order now." "Overdue for eye exam: press 4 to call your last-used optometrist, or 5 for a list of providers near you." 

I'm not sure how it will take your multivitamin for you, but maybe eventually the phone will be able to beam nutrients directly into your body through your ear canal. I don't put anything past this technology.