Sci-Fi Medicine.
When one of my favourite nephews phoned me last night I think I
managed to sound as though I had not just emerged from my postprandial
nap. After the usual solicitations he inquired as to whether I was near
my Skype source.
"Would you mind taking a look at my little guy's
eye?" he asked. "We took him to the clinic and got some eye-drops for
an infection, but it seems to be looking worse and we wondered whether you would take a look at it."
"Sure," I said, logging on to Skype. (I know my family think I am
omniscient regarding all things medical.) I managed to have a good look
at the eye thirty seconds later and everything worked out well.
That set me to thinking about the days when this was pure science fiction stuff.
I became interested in practical applications of computer sciences in
Medicine early on, when the huge distances in Saskatchewan meant that
many people were far removed from medical resources and progressive
thinkers were trying to figure out ways to do just what we so easily did
last night.
The applications of technology and
computerization in medicine can be enormous, as long as we control those
applications rather than allowing them to control us. I'm afraid the
bureaucrats my have rather different ideas as to how they should be
used than the front line health care providers.
... so Stan!
ReplyDelete(and it applies to so many.)
Love it!