Modern doctors need more than a good bedside manner nowadays and must master the skills of delivering telemedicine as technology plays a growing role in delivering medical care, an international medical conference in Bahrain heard.
Medical schools should incorporate curriculums on developing remote competencies in triaging patients, screening and making diagnoses, said Dr Alexander Hart, a leading emergency physician at Hartford Hospital in the US.
“The pandemic shook the world around us, and medicine was no different,” the American told the ACU International Conference yesterday at the Art Hotel Resort and Spa in Amwaj Islands.
“There were many hardships and setbacks, but one thing that came out of it was the rapid advancement of telemedicine.
“Telemedicine technologies are better than they ever were, and it has become possible to connect with a physician at a moment’s notice using computers or smartphones.
“The Covid-19 pandemic witnessed an unprecedented shift towards remote screening,” he added. “It is more accessible than before, with plenty of affordable options available.
“It could become a vital tool to save people’s lives, so students should ideally master it when they enter medical school.”
During the conference, Dr Hart set out six competencies that students would ideally need to master – namely systems-based practice, professionalism, patient care, practice-based learning, communication skills and medical knowledge.
“All six factors are important to effective use,” he added and when it comes to using modern technological communication tools they should be used to their ‘full potential to determine what’s wrong with a patient’ without actually being there.
“Little things, such as noticing a change in a patient’s complexion or breathing patterns can go a long way,” he added.
Dr Hart also emphasised the importance of letting more patients know that telemedicine is a viable possibility. “Many people, especially the elderly, do not know that it is an option, so it is imperative that we educate not just the students, but also society on its availability, so that they do not need to leave their homes if it is difficult for them,” he said.
Common sense and experience should also play a part because there will be times when a hospital stay is in a patient’s best interest.
“Sometimes telemedicine will be inappropriate and efforts need to be made to get the patient into a hospital setting. It is important to understand when,” he said.
“But the most common issue is that these technologies, no matter how low tech, are not currently available to all. However, with the correct training, a focus on ethics and educating people on availability, it can continue to grow in importance over the next few years,” he added.
The conference featured several other topics of discussion, including the inclusion of precision medicine in medical curriculums, re-imagination of medical education, big data in medicine and more.
The event was held under the patronage of Supreme Council of Health chairman Lieutenant-General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa. “I’m proud of the sector’s desire to develop health services, most notably with the introduction of the National Health Insurance Programme which promotes the highest quality of universal health coverage,” he said during the opening ceremony. “The initiative will grant hospitals autonomy to make fully flexible decisions to ensure the sustainability of our health services.”
The two-day conference, which gathered top medical professionals from around the world for their insights on the future of medical education, concludes today and will feature discussions regarding Entrustable Professional Activities, Programmatic Assessment, plus a panel discussion.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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