Will Doctors Become Obsolete?

From time to time I take residents to their doctor’s appointments. Or I have waited with them in the emergency rooms at the hospital or VA Medical Center.

We also have a mobile doctor service visit many of our residents in our homes. Some residents and their families prefer virtual visits from doctors.

One thing I notice is in many cases the doctor seems more like an administrator.

They stare at the computer more than they look at the patient. They ask lots of questions they see on the computer screen and type in the responses from the patient.

Then they do a quick examination and the patient is off for tests or to be admitted to the hospital.

The doctor may just write a prescription and away we go back home.

It seems like the visit many times could just be automated. Or performed by someone without many years in medical school.

So will doctor’s become obsolete? Replaced by AI or another technology?

I don’t think so. In every profession there are jobs that technology replaces. Generally those jobs are repetitive tasks that can be automated. There’s not a lot of thinking in those jobs.

Thinking is where doctors can really shine. The doctor who is curious about your condition and comes up with innovative solutions never have to worry about job security. Machines are not really capable of creative solutions.

Even machine learning cannot come up with something new. It can only become better at implementing existing solutions.

The trouble, in my opinion, is how stringently the ‘standard of care’ is enforced.

Doctors are constrained from coming up with innovative solutions by regulations, licensing boards, insurance companies, and probably other constraints I am not thinking about right now.

If the accepted solution has already been determined, then doctors can be replaced. If the medical industry becomes so regulated that doctors cannot  deviate from the accepted treatment, then hello technology.

I understand there is a need to make sure we treat patients with the latest and greatest information. But if any change can only come after millions of dollars, large-scale technical studies, and extensive peer reviews, then we will stifle the innovation and judgement of some pretty incredible medical people.

The other day I talked to a doctor who was telling me about a hospital that lost a $5 million lawsuit over one medication screw-up. I don’t have the details of that lawsuit. There may be more to it. But if I’m a doctor in that hospital, I would be very fearful of deviating from the standard of care.

If people screw up they should be held liable. However, we must also realize that medical people are human.

That’s why it’s so important to me to make a doctor feel comfortable when you work with one. Let them know we appreciate their expertise and opinion. Ask questions and see if you can collaborate for the best outcome. The doctor may open up and help you become more innovative.

Most lawsuits come from prescription drugs, surgery or some other procedure that has potential side effects. Especially if done incorrectly. That’s why it’s also important to talk to your doctor about less risky solutions. Diet and exercise come to mind. So do strategies for better sleep, stress relief etc.

Doctors have a genuine interest in helping you become healthier in my opinion. That’s why many of them entered the profession. We should become a partner in their success. And keep the good ones around for a long time to come.