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While the benefits of new technologies -- like fast access to patient and prescription information -- are universally acknowledged in the medical community, the disadvantages are now becoming clear.
"Distracted doctoring," is the phenomenon that occurs when iPads, iPhones, desktop computers, and other gadgets are used for things other than patient care in critical scenarios. These include personal calls, texting, checking airfare, surfing the internet, Facebook, Amazon, Gmail, and eBay.
On the one hand, there has always been a need to deal with multitasking and interruptions from phones or pagers. Some medical schools used to restrict studying textbooks while in surgeries.
On the other hand, distracting temptations seem to be in greater abundance and they are now in the palm of a new generation, which grew up with constant communication. And technological distractions do not have to be due to frivolity. Many doctors use devices to access relevant up-to-date and detailed information on the web. The problem is when more of their focus is geared toward their device than toward their patient. After all, the patient deserves as much attention as possible because picking up on behavior is important for many diagnoses.
A study of 439 medical technicians found that 55% of those who monitor bypass machines claim to have talked on cell phones during heart surgery. 40% believed such a practice is always unsafe. Another half claimed to text during surgery, while half believe this to be always unsafe.
Although the impact of this practice is difficult to gauge, anecdotes like that of a man left paralyzed due to an absentminded neurosurgeon on his cell phone bring the point home.
As a practicing medical malpractice, wrongful death, and personal injury attorney in New York, I deal with potential hazards in like this every day.
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If you would like more information about how medical malpractice and accident cases work in the state of New York, I encourage you to explore my educational website. If you have legal questions, I urge you to pick up the phone and call me at 516-487-8207 or by e-mail at lawmed10@yahoo.com to answer your questions. That's what I do every day. I welcome your call.
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