The Author of Creative Destruction of Medicine
was recently interviewed by Salon about his book which looks at the role that computerization has to play in medicine. Some of the highlights include:

• Doctors have historically been resistant to change. It took 20 years for the stethoscope to be widely adopted. The reasoning given to avoid change has stayed remarkably similar over the years: In the years of the stethoscope doctors were afraid that the use of the stethoscope would reduce the quality of patient-client interactions, and they’d have to learn new things such as different heart sounds and breathing rhythms. Similar arguments are used to resist the digitalization of health care today.
• Genome sequencing can help to reduce idiopaths – people who have serious diseases but aren’t aware of them. The process of sequencing can help patients prepare for and identify serious illnesses.
• Social networks have grown to become a provider of health care consulting. In certain cases people are more willing to trust the advice of their Facebook friends than their physicians.

To read more about whether or not doctors should email their patients, the role that cell phones will play and what your physician will know about you, click here. Or purchase the book here.

Source: Salon