Doctors across the United States are facing a growing problem. With the increasing number of patients and increasing re-admittance rates from surgeries and other procedures, it is difficult for doctors or medical staff to provide all patients with adequate follow-up communications. However, a startup company called “HealthLoop” has proposed a solution, and it is called “automated empathy.”Automated empathy involves a system of follow-up communications customized for each patient that a doctor has. Doctors can provide details and suggestions for treatment and other possible risks, while every patient will be able to receive the appropriate attention and care while also providing their doctor with valuable feedback. The automated empathy will have follow-up messages that will be automated and sent according to a predetermined schedule.

This technology is important since doctors are treating more and more patients, and are unable to find time for following up with patients that have undergone procedures such as surgery. For example, a patient may be sent a message or reminder every week or every other week after their surgery, and it may ask questions or provide reminders and suggestions for that patient. The patient may provide feedback based on their progress, and his doctor will be able to collect and analyze this data and suggest treatments for that patient. This makes the communication between doctor and patient extremely quick and reliable.

However, experts have claimed that the communication, being online, will make the relationship between doctors and their patients more impersonal because questions or answers may seem more “canned.” Not only that, but the questions may not be adequately in depth or inclusive, and the feedback may not give the doctor or patient enough information.

Another concern is patient privacy. Since this communication is intended to be automated and online, what is transmitted between doctors and patients may easily become stored information. Although this can provide good data for doctors to look back on to see a patient’s progress, it is also stored information that an unauthorized person may access. This creates a risk of exposing to the public patients’ private medical records, or other sensitive information.

There is a lot in store for the medical field, and this new technology may play a big part in the near future. Perhaps multiple iterations will bring new changes to the system to counter or fix these problems. Be prepared to see automated empathy being used in your future medical experiences

<Trenton Gin[San Marino High School, 9th Grade]>