I was reading this interview with an MIT scientist who developed a machine learning tool to assess pain. At the end of the interview he remarked in a reassuring tone that his technology will not replace doctors. More and more we are apologizing for technology. I am seeing this more frequently in the context of medical technology. Developers are quick to to reassure ... Continue Reading about Apologizing for Technology
Communications: A New Job for Physicians
This Scientific American post on communications and storytelling is worth a peek. More than ever, how we translate the technical developments in medicine and healthcare impacts the independent decisions made by patients. The 23andMe dialog has shown that individuals believe they can educate themselves about the subtleties of personal genomic analysis. But ... Continue Reading about Communications: A New Job for Physicians
Will the Future Need Doctors?
The following is an Ignite talk on the future of the physician delivered at Tim O'Reilly's 2012 Health Foo - Microsoft Research Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts. As I see technology advancing around me, I think about the future of the physician. Where are we going to fit in? Will we become obsolete? Are we headed for a medical singularity? The good news for ... Continue Reading about Will the Future Need Doctors?
Physician Thought Leaders in the Digital Age
I was on a panel recently where it was asked, 'What will become of the physician thought leader in the digital age.' It's an interesting question because it draws on what constitutes influence in the modern medical world. How do we determine who we listen to and how will digital communication change that? It used to be that influence in medicine was determined by ... Continue Reading about Physician Thought Leaders in the Digital Age
Doctors and the Future of Touch
I wonder about the future of touch. I suffer with herniated lumbar disks. L4-L5 bulges and ruptures on occasion. If you catch me on the wrong day I have a little curvature to my back representing the spasm that makes me miserable. I saw an extremely well-referenced orthopedic surgeon in consultation recently. But through the course of my visit he never touched ... Continue Reading about Doctors and the Future of Touch