Woven Into the Fabric

The 2013 Healthcare Information and Management Information Society (HIMSS) annual convention was a busy, informative and insightful time in New Orleans. During the Physicians’ IT Symposium, co-hosted by AMDIS, I was particularly struck by the realization that we are at the point where the vision of the pioneers in this field has begun to be realized.

Lawrence Weed, MD, gave the last talk of the day during the symposium. When I first heard him speak some 20 years ago about knowledge couplers, I found his ideas offensive. He said back then that being a doctor is not being this walking encyclopedia where you know everything and have the answer to everything. You are a sensor. According to him, doctors are the human linkage with the patient that translates their pains, sufferings and concerns and who knows how to use resources to get the questions answered.

Twenty years ago, I thought that after eight years of schooling all of that knowledge was part of my training. I also thought that we, as doctors, were independent and stood alone. No, we’re not. I have learned that physicians will never have the full compendium of knowledge on any topic. Rather, it is our responsibility to act on behalf of our patients and use the available tools and information to deliver the best care.

Today, I see that Larry was exactly right and experienced a very satisfying feeling of closure. Decades ago, he saw the future of what we do as physicians which is now in effect and being utilized in every setting in which patients are cared for. Being with someone who is truly a visionary is like standing on the shoulders of a giant.

Another thing that struck me during HIMSS13 was the tremendous number of vendors touting analytics and next-generation tools. It was satisfying to see this evolution in and maturity of health IT. First, we got people using computers, then we got them to start looking at data.  Now, we’re starting to benchmark those data to learn and continue to learn to provide better care.

I visited several telecommunications companies and was impressed to see how vendors are making those devices consumer friendly, intuitive and approachable, so routine office visits can give way to routine telemedicine visits. Telemedicine isn’t just happening in remote locations anymore. We’re realizing that there is no reason to pay to wait for hours in a physician’s office when we can accomplish the same things from the comfort of home at a convenient time.

We have arrived as an element of U.S. healthcare. Health IT is no longer the sideshow. With Meaningful Use and other programs that have gotten the full and direct attention of the healthcare community, we are now woven into the fabric of the U.S. healthcare system.