When Walter Aucoin began working at Holmes Regional Medical Center in 1983, the hospital’s telephone system had just upgraded from an old-time switchboard, a “cord board,” to an electronic switchboard. Technology has changed tremendously since then, and so have people.

In his 40 years, Aucoin (pron. OAK-win) has seen clinicians go from clipboards and handwritten patient charts to digital files and on to patient portals. Today, clinicians work not only on mobile computers but enjoy voice communication devices that clip to their shirts and weigh less than a car key.

Aucoin says there was a time when telephones were “just telephones – there was nothing more they could do than connect with another person,” and that much has been gained since then, and, perhaps, a little has been lost.

But even in an era of online scheduling, emails and text messages, the health system may handle as many as 1 million voice calls a month.

READ the full retrospective feature in Space Coast Daily HERE.