Comments on: How a wealth of information takes attention away from the patient http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/08/wealth-information-takes-attention-patient.html Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Headline Commentary Aug 31-Sept 7 | Health Content Advisorshttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/08/wealth-information-takes-attention-patient.html#comment-111546 Headline Commentary Aug 31-Sept 7 | Health Content Advisors Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:10:33 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39849#comment-111546 [...] » How a wealth of information takes attention away from the patient | KevinMD.com [...] [...] » How a wealth of information takes attention away from the patient | KevinMD.com [...]

]]> By: Philhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/08/wealth-information-takes-attention-patient.html#comment-110898 Phil Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:14:38 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39849#comment-110898 9 times out of 10 the computer is more valuable than the patient. They're usually too old to know what's going on (either normally or because of some acute change) or don't know, don't care or just straight up lying. Having previous information can help you when patients get tangential.That said, if somebody can put together a coherent sentence their story is much more important than what's in the computer. Unfortunately that's rare. 9 times out of 10 the computer is more valuable than the patient. They’re usually too old to know what’s going on (either normally or because of some acute change) or don’t know, don’t care or just straight up lying. Having previous information can help you when patients get tangential.

That said, if somebody can put together a coherent sentence their story is much more important than what’s in the computer. Unfortunately that’s rare.

]]> By: dockjhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/08/wealth-information-takes-attention-patient.html#comment-110848 dockj Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:26:30 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39849#comment-110848 Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? - T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
- T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)

]]> By: Chrishttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/08/wealth-information-takes-attention-patient.html#comment-110841 Chris Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:16:32 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39849#comment-110841 Since patients have such a wonderful way of forgetting important things like "Oh yeah, I did have a liver transplant," I like to print out a recent discharge summary or H&P and take it into the patient's room with me. I read through and confirm a few key points - "So is this true? and this?" - and then conduct the rest of the H&P like usual. Since patients have such a wonderful way of forgetting important things like “Oh yeah, I did have a liver transplant,” I like to print out a recent discharge summary or H&P and take it into the patient’s room with me. I read through and confirm a few key points – “So is this true? and this?” – and then conduct the rest of the H&P like usual.

]]> By: Michael Kirsch, M.D.http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/08/wealth-information-takes-attention-patient.html#comment-110840 Michael Kirsch, M.D. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:58:26 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39849#comment-110840 Many in-patients are cared for by hospitalists who then hand these patients back to their primary physicians. Tons of data are generated after a few days of hospitalization. Will all of the hospital test results, consultant recommendations, abnormal labs and x-ray abnormalities be communicated to the primary physician whose responsbility it will be to address all of the medical loose ends, many of which are not related to the illness at hand? This is an enormous challenge and I wonder how well we ar meeting it. Many in-patients are cared for by hospitalists who then hand these patients back to their primary physicians. Tons of data are generated after a few days of hospitalization. Will all of the hospital test results, consultant recommendations, abnormal labs and x-ray abnormalities be communicated to the primary physician whose responsbility it will be to address all of the medical loose ends, many of which are not related to the illness at hand? This is an enormous challenge and I wonder how well we ar meeting it.

]]> By: Nuclear Firehttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/08/wealth-information-takes-attention-patient.html#comment-110828 Nuclear Fire Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:48:10 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39849#comment-110828 Thank you Dr. Verghese for so clearly elucidating a problem that many of us face today and putting forth an excellent way to deal with it. As we train our junior colleagues it is also important to train our patients as well not to blindly trust the computer system as well. I have always tried to meet the patient before their chart so as not to be biased by the data/notes of those before me but have been shocked by the patients reply to "why are you here?" or "what can I do for you?" with "Haven't you read my chart?"Another common answer I get is "it's in the computer I'm sure" when asking about their medications or past medical history. I still go through the data with them, just to show them how many things are inaccurate. "I never had my gallbladder out." "Well, I was given that medication, but I never started taking it." As Dr. Verghese pointed out, the patient can teach us much more than a computer screen. Thank you Dr. Verghese for so clearly elucidating a problem that many of us face today and putting forth an excellent way to deal with it. As we train our junior colleagues it is also important to train our patients as well not to blindly trust the computer system as well. I have always tried to meet the patient before their chart so as not to be biased by the data/notes of those before me but have been shocked by the patients reply to “why are you here?” or “what can I do for you?” with “Haven’t you read my chart?”

Another common answer I get is “it’s in the computer I’m sure” when asking about their medications or past medical history. I still go through the data with them, just to show them how many things are inaccurate. “I never had my gallbladder out.” “Well, I was given that medication, but I never started taking it.” As Dr. Verghese pointed out, the patient can teach us much more than a computer screen.

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