Saturday, June 24, 2006

The Emperor's new clothes

We docs have had "experts" insist on the quick fix of computers and robots to care for patients "more efficiently", never mind that this not only dehumanizes people, but ignores "GIGO" factor, i.e. garbage in garbage out.

Now someone notes that computers (reg required) aren't a quick fix.
All sorts of problems have surfaced: incorrect medications chosen from computerized pick lists,[5] nurses and doctors huddled over computer screens instead of critically ill patients,[6] a mix-up in bar-coded wristbands that nearly led to a fatal insulin overdose.[7] Even a 3-fold increase in pediatric mortality after the implementation of a commercial computerized system.[6]

Yet even this author thinks computers are more scientific than things like hiring enough nurses to do things correctly instead of overworking them, or letting docs leisure to see patients instead of insisting they see 30 people a day in their office ---overwork is the dirty little secret behind a lot of "medical errors"....

Of course it remains inconceivable that we can aggressively attack medication, transition, and communication errors without computers. Moreover, computers will ultimately allow us to bring evidence-based medicine to the patient's bedside and the physician's office -- a major advance.

No, actually it's conceivable but not "efficient"...

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