Adoption of technology in healthcare could have revolutionary effects, but so far those have failed to come to pass. Physicians may be standing in the way of embracing new technologies, Robert Pearl, MD, former president and CEO at Kaiser Permanente, wrote in Forbes Feb. 14.
Dr. Pearl argues that physicians have given preference to technology that boosts their status and reputations, dating back to physicians' fight against the newly created thermometer in the 18th century. He argued that the success of operative robots, despite their only slightly increased clinical outcomes, is evidence of the trend.
Other technological advances that are well-regarded by patients are not so well liked by physicians. He used telemedicine as an example of this, stating that the technology threatens the prestige of the traditionals physician office and waiting room, which boosts power.
Dr. Pearl argued that in selecting technologies for healthcare, an independent body like the National Institutes of Health should evaluate each piece of tech according to its clinical merits to provide an unbiased clinical evaluation.
"To improve healthcare in the areas of cost, access and quality, we must measure technologies by their impact on the health of patients, not their impact on the status of medical professionals," he said.