Connecting The Dots of Healthcare

I was speaking at a regional healthcare summit that included five hospitals as well as a number of other businesses of healthcare. Jeff Bauer, Ph.D. spoke on the future of healthcare as becoming more and more high tech. That clinical trials have supported through evidence based medicine improve patient outcomes.

There was an under-rumbing of mutterings. ”High touch can never be replaced by high tech.”

I think the point was missed. I absolutely agree, high touch can never be replaced by ”high touch.” But “replaced” is not the right word. Actually, “vs.” is also incorrect.

Technology has made medicine better that it has ever been. And technology will continue to improve outcomes. But high tech is not mutually exclusive of “high touch.”

To give patients the kind of care they deserve, there must be a blending of clinical excellence and compassionate caring. Of high tech AND high touch.

If high tech can bring my patients more abundant life, that will give me and the families they love more opportunities to give them ”high touch” as well.