DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE 'WISH' WATER. POST 240

 

 

Hi,

This blogger received an interesting email this week that deserves some discussion. It concerned the future of medicine under technology and Dr. Eric Topol, who is almost a household word on the subject.

THIS IS NOT A NEW TOPIC BUT SEVERAL NEW CIRCUMSTANCES MAKE IT MORE RELEVANT. OBAMA HEALTH CARE IS ONE  ASPECT THAT  DESPERATELY NEEDS COST REDUCTION  TO SURVIVE. PLUS MOST OF THE NEW HEALTH APPS NOW CONNECT TO THE IPHONE MAKING THEM AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE NOT JUST THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. AND  THERE IS THE MOVEMENT IN OTHER INDUSTRIES TOWARD RADICALLY CHANGING THE OLD INTO THE NEW. 

 Researching Topol on the web produced l0 pages of articles and still counting. He is definitely a household word on the topic with books, lectures etc etc. and perhaps  holds not ONLY a humanistic stake in the outcome of the technology products that he recommends. He's certainly made a rather good return on it to this point.  HE IS A RESPECTED SURGEON AND  SELECTED AS ONE OF THE 12 'ROCK STARS OF SCIENCE' BY GO AND THE GEOFFREY BEENE FOUNDATION IN 2009 ,AS WELL AS, THE JOHN HOPKINS SOCIETY OF SCHOLARS IN 2004. HOWEVER, BE THAT AS IT MAY, THIS BLOGGER  WANTS TO EXPLORE THE PROS AND CONS OF THE IDEAL OF TECHNOLOGICAL TAKE OVER OF THE HEALTH INDUSTRY ON A PATIENT OUTLOOK LEVEL.

FIRST, THIS BLOGGER IS SWERVING INTO AN INDUSTRY NOW USING TECHNOLOGY TO COMPETE WITH AN OLD ESTABLISHED AND PERHAPS ANTIQUATED BUSINESS OF MOVING FOLKS FROM PLACE TO PLACE. UBER IS TOTALLY BASED ON TECHNOLOGY AND PROVIDES TRANSPORTATION BY EITHER BREAKING OR SKIRTING THE TAXICAB LAWS. LAWS WHICH MAKE TAXIS AND THEIR DRIVERS SUBJECT TO LICENCES PLUS TRAINING AND THEIR CARS SUBJECT TO MAINTENANCE AND  STRICT REQUIREMENTS FOR PASSENGER SAFETY.

UBER SIMPLY CIRCUMVENTS ALL THE LAWS BY USING TECHNOLOGY TO CONTACT REGULAR CAR DRIVERS IN THEIR OWN CARS TO PICK UP  PASSENGERS AT A MUCH LOWER FEE  WHEN THEY  HAVE CALLED UBER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE PASSENGER MAY BE GETTING THE LOCAL DRUNK,  WHO IS ALREADY 4 (NOT 3) SHEETS TO THE WIND AND A CAR THAT IS ON ITS LAST LEGS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT MAKE IT TO THE DESTINATION.  ROBBERS AND  RAPISTS COULD  FIND THIS TAXI METHOD QUITE HELPFUL IN PLYING THEIR SINFUL TRADES. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO US ??????????? UNLAWFUL ACTION MAY SAVE MONEY BUT COST US FAR MORE IN ANGUISH AND HARM. THE DESTRUCTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS MORE OFTEN THE DESTRUCTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO HOW DOES THIS FIT WITH THE HEALTH INDUSTRY. WELL, ESSENTIALLY WHAT DR. ERIK TOPOL HAS ESPOUSED IN DISCUSSING THE WONDERS OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY THAT IS AVAILABLE TODAY IS "CREATIVE DESTRUCTION" TO AN INDUSTRY THAT IS DEEPLY INGRAINED AND HIGHLY RESISTANT TO CHANGE. CERTAINLY, SOME OF THAT RESISTANCE EVEN HE ADMITS MERITS JUSTIFICATION BUT HE APPEARS TO FOLLOW  ANOTHER OLD SAYING - "OUT WITH THE OLD" AND "IN WITH THE NEW" TO LEAD TO A MEDICAL TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION.

OKAY, BUT AS WE'VE SEEN WITH UBER HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE PEOPLE MOST INVOLVED--THE PATIENT ??????????????? YOU AND ME--DARLIN' !!!!!!!!!! WE'RE THE GUINEA PIGS IN THIS WHOLE HEALTH/TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION !!!!!!!!!!! AIN'T THAT JUST ALWAYS THE CASE ??????????? THEY REFORM............WE CONFORM.............AND  IN THIS CASE HOPE NOT TO DEFORM  OR DIE !!!!!!!!!!!!

THERE'S LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE USE OF THE IPHONE APPS WHICH DR.TOPOL ADVOCATES AND INDIVIDUALS CAN BUY WILL BE POPULAR. HE ATTACHES TO THE IPHONE APPS THAT CAN GIVE YOU A HUGE VARIETY OF MEDICAL TESTS. SOME LIFESAVING LIKE CARDIOGRAMS, SOME REGULAR TESTS LIKE BLOOD OR SALIVA TESTS, NUTRIENT TESTS (WITH SMALL ATTACHMENTS TO THE BODY). JUST ABOUT ANY TEST CAN BE TECHNOLOGICALLY DIGITIZED. AN ULTRASOUND ALTHOUGH NON ATTACHABLE SPORTS A SMALL HAND USABLE UNIT. DR. TOPOL ALSO SHOWS A WRIST ATTACHED HOSPITAL MONITOR THAT MINITURIZESS WHAT IT NOW TAKES A COMPUTER TO DISPLAY.

 

THE TECHNOLOGY AND INSTANT INFORMATION IS STARTLINGLY ATTRACTIVE AND IN MANY CASES COULD BE LIFE SAVING. THE GOOD DOCTOR ALSO TOUTS THE REDUCED COSTS OF TESTING AND TREATMENT BUT, OF COURSE, OVERLOOKS THE REALITY OF INCREASED PRICES WHEN THE USE BECOMES POPULAR AND CONSTANT. IT ALL SOUNDS TERRIFIC FROM DR. TOPOL'S POINT OF VIEW, DOESN'T IT??????????????????????

 

BUT THERE IS A LARGE PROBLEM THAT DR. TOPOL HAS OVERLOOKED OR AVOIDED MENTIONING. PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES. PEOPLE CAN BE CARELESS, PEOPLE FORGET TO KEEP IMPORTANT ITEMS CLOSE, PEOPLE DO ALL SORTS OF DASTARDLY THINGS THAT FOULED UP GOOD INTENTIONS !!!!!!!!!!! THIS BLOGGER DOESN'T THINK THIS WAS INTENDED TO RID THE GENE POOL OF THE REALLY STUPID BUT IT WILL. DON'T THEY DESERVE A CHANCE. IF WE DESTROY THE CURRENT DOCTOR=HOSPITAL STRUCTURE WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM ???????????

 

BUT.................THERE'S THAT LITTLE WORD AGAIN.............WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT LIKE  UBER OVERTHROWING THE TAXI SERVICES WORLDWIDE, OVERTHROWING THE MEDICAL PROFESSION TO TAKE ON HEALTH TECHNOLOGY  IS LIKE .........ANOTHER OLD EXPRESSION.................THROWING OUT THE BABY WITH THE WASH WATER !!!!!!!!!!!!OR IS IT THE "WISH" WATER ???????????????????

 

PERHAPS UBER'S ACTIONS WILL HELP TO WAKE UP HOSPITALS AND SOME DOCTORS TO THE REALITY OF BEING THE BABY GOING DOWN THE LARGE DRAIN. IF NOT THEN FOLKS LIKE DR. TOPOL, ALREADY TIRED OF WAITING ON THE HEALTH INDUSTRY TO WAKE UP TO REALITY, MAY CREATE A CRISIS THAT CAN'T BE IGNORED. HOPEFULLY, NOT SO LARGE AS TO TOPPLE ( NO PUN INTENDED "DR. TOPOL") THE EXISTING STRUCTURE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

AS TECHNOLOGY IN ALL FORMS BEGINS TO COME TO PUBLIC EYE, IT IS HOPED THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE FOLKS WHO CAUTION FOR THE NEED TO THINK THINGS  THROUGH AND NOT THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE WASH WATER !!!!!!!!!!! WE CAN ALWAYS TAKE THE BEST OF THE NEW WHILE PHASING OUT THE OLD AND PROVIDE LITTLE SUFFERING RATHER THAN A LOT.

 

ALSO REMEMBER THIS BLOGGER WARNED YOU A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT WE HAD ONLY SEEN THE TIP OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION THAT WOULD CHANGE OUR WORLD. AND WE HAVE A PAST  WITH A NUMBER OF LIFE LESSONS THAT THE UBER FOLKS MAY HAVE TAKEN FROM THE MAFIA ON WHICH TO BASE THEIR ACTIVITIES !!!CRIMINALS MAY BE BAD FOR SOCIETY BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY ARE OFTEN MORE CREATIVE IN THEIR ENDEAVORS THAN ALL THE REST OF US PUT TOGETHER. IF ONLY MANKIND COULD HARNESS THAT CREATIVITY WITH TECHNOLOGY LESS THE CRIMINALITY, WE WOULD NEVER AGAIN BE ENDANGERED WITH

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THROWING THE BABY OUT WITH THE "WISH WATER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

CHEERS, CONNIE