The Mine Doctor
Everyone at MD-IT is thrilled that the Chilean miners have been successfully rescued after 70 days of tortuous living beneath ground. Their resolve is nothing short of miraculous and we are excited to learn more of their stories of survival, fortitude and how they kept busy and upbeat in times of such despair.
On the heels of a New York Times article on Dr. Abraham Verghese, the senior associate chairman for the theory and practice of medicine at Stanford University, and whose sole purpose at Stanford is to bring back the lost art of the physical exam, it struck me deeply that the Chilean miners had dubbed the medically trained miner, Johnny Barrios, “Dr. House” from the popular American television program.
These two seemingly disconnected events demonstrate the powers of technology and human interaction in medicine. Dr. Verghese is challenged with re-creating the mythical powers of bedside/exam room physicians who observe every nuance of their patients to dig deeper into possible diagnoses and afflictions. Dr. House, on the other hand, uses the magical powers of television and fiction to represent a world where one doctor can diagnose any patient that walks into the hospital. The fact that the miners saw Mr. Barrios as their own Dr. House, that of all of the personalities in popular culture that are practicing physicians, they chose the one with uncanny diagnostic skill proves that the most glamorous part of medicine will never be the expensive car or the corner office, but rather the ability to treat patients accurately and effectively (at least that is how it seems in an hour long television program).
Both of these stories reflect the practice of medicine being rooted in listening, observing and intuition. What is not included in any of these tales is any reference to Clinical Decision Support, point and click, or technology. The greatest strength of a physician is not the tools they are provided, but the tools they are born with. To paraphrase Dr. Verghese in the Times article, the most important part of a stethoscope is the part between the earpieces.
The drama that plays out on the television show Dr. House, MD and the real life hospitals and practices is the result of years of training, countless hours of study, and skills that most common people do not possess. At MD-IT, our driving principles revolve around the notion that physicians are best utilized practicing medicine, not using a computer or technological device. The ability to present pertinent information and permit the documentation of their medical judgment in a familiar manner is the best way to support good medicine and successful physicians.
As we all applaud the efforts of all of those that helped rescue the trapped miners and assist medical residents become the best they can be, we cannot but recognize that our role is to support them all with technology that aids in their work, not disrupt it.
