High-Tech Low-Touch Medicine… The Future??

Author: Howard J. Luks, MD- Posted in: Orthopedic Social Media 6 Comments
Download now or watch on posterous

HighTech_LowTouch.wmv (17326 KB)

As stated in the video, I find the emergence of this low touch, high tech (nearly factory-like) model in medicine to be disturbing…  

Most diagnoses require a high touch, hands on physical examination… then, combined with the history or complaints you gave your physician, a list of potential diagnoses should arise.  At that point a decision is made if further testing is necessary.  

Right now the trend is exactly the opposite…. patients are being asked to have MRIs first, before seeing specialists, and some specialists will turn you away if your MRI is “normal”.  

Is this the future of medicine?  I sure hope not!  

One day a physician is going to look in a mirror and see a patient… how will that physician want to be treated?… remember.

We are ALL patients.   

Related posts:

  1. Providing quality care, and a human touch #hcsm #hcr
  2. The MIT Media Lab Video Podcast : New Media Medicine #pm #hcr
  3. The bio-future of joint replacement

6 Responses to “High-Tech Low-Touch Medicine… The Future??”

  1. ReplyKelly Young says:

    Way to go! The technology is supposed to be a tool in the hands of good people. Not a replacement for them, right?There will never be a replacement for human examination or reasoning, except perhaps for a miracle intervention of God’s healing.

  2. ReplyHoward Luks says:

    Thx @rawarrior ! U are correct. Technology has it’s place. It should not, however, (telemedicine aside) in the vast majority of circumstances replace a history, physical exam, arrive at probably diagnoses, consideration of further diagnostic options and then consideration of therapeutic options algorithm or workflow that has functioned quite well, for a long period of time.

  3. ReplyDr. Brian Goldman says:

    A wise radiologist once told me “if you don’t know what you’re looking for (on an X-ray, CT, ultrasound, MRI, and what have you), you won’t find it. You can automate many things in medicine, but not what goes on between the health professional’s ears.

  4. ReplyBoundaries of Impersonal Medicine… says:

    [...] age of high tech – low touch medicine is firmly upon us.   We, as physicians, in search of new patients and new revenue streams [...]

  5. ReplyHealthcare Trends: Maximum Income and Minimal Satisfaction … says:

    [...] the  healthcare system today.  One such trend that I’ve referenced previously is the Low Touch- High Technology trend which has clearly emerged and mainstreamed over the last 5 to 7 [...]

  6. ReplyTreat Patients as People… Not Diseases says:

    [...] choice of surgical or nonsurgical management might affect them.I’ve spoken before about the low touch- high technology approach to orthopedics that is far too prevalent in our society. Not only does this lead to over [...]

Leave a Reply

Comment Disclaimer