In a recent overview of how new HIT is rapidly changing the patient/doctor relationship, Scientific American takes the time to note some of the potential downsides of the transition.
But one thing it fails to consider is that, for some people, the switch may not have much affect at all.
Painting initially in broad strokes, the piece rightly points out that “with greater access to individualized health information—whether that is through a formal electronic medical record, a self-created personal health record or a quick instant-messaging session with a physician—the traditional roles of doctors and patients are undergoing a rapid transition.”
For example, “soon more patients will be arriving at a hospital or doctor's office having reviewed their own record, latest test results and recommended articles about their health concerns. And even more individuals will be able to skip that visit altogether, instead sending a text message or e-mail to their care provider or consulting a personal health record or smart-phone application to answer their questions.”
The writer notes that the “explosion of data . . . could also be a curse for physicians and the health care industry in general.” For one thing, increased flexibility in communication between doctors and more health-savvy patients potentially raises liability and reimbursement questions. And then there’s the matter of how greater doctor/patient interaction might impede the doctor’s capacity to assess data thoroughly in the interest of making accurate diagnoses.
Policymakers, however, should remember a likely outcome that the article fails to mention. Specifically, while many people will certainly take advantage of new HIT in order to take greater control of their health care issues, many people actually may not. For one thing, in this age of often “irrational exuberance” over the latest technological advances, it’s easy to forget that not all people are as tech-savvy as, it’s safe to say, the majority of health sector stakeholders and observers are.
Moreover, needless to say, health issues often come laden with emotional dimensions which the “efficiencies” of technology-based relationships will never be able to address.
In other words, technology will indeed change many things for many people when it comes to health care delivery. But for many others, there will be no acceptable replacement for knowing, and talking to, a real, live doctor.
Jeff Rowe blogs daily at Priming the Pump.
