Technological advancements in medical field has Neepawa physician excited about what lies ahead
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, April 9, 2013
By: Lanny Stewart
myWestman.ca
As the years pass us by, technological advancements are happening all around us. The medical field is witnessing exactly that and Neepawa physician Dr. Brian Milligan says the changes have made his life a little easier in terms of how he performs his job on a day-to-day basis.
It was just a few years ago when Milligan, 30, was in med school and it was at that time, he had to carry several books to and from class.
Boy, how times have changed.
"I tell people all the time in the clinic that I remember a big yellow book -- similar to a yellow pages book from Winnipeg -- that was filled with information on drugs and dosages and different things and now it's all on this little phone," said Milligan. "That helps a lot.
"Before you'd have to go to a library, look up the index cards and find the book you were after or article you were after, you'd have to photocopy it and take it home," he continued. "It would take you a week sometimes to find the information. Now, it's quick as all the text books are online. They're easily searchable -- you go right to the chapter and verse you're after and you got it.
"I'll tell a patient in the room, 'just let me double check this' and I'll bring up my textbook on my phone and make sure I'm not missing anything."
Milligan says electronic medical records have become very popular in hospitals and instead of a paper trail, information stored on a computer has made for better communication.
"It means you can read it (medical record) and it eliminates poor hand writing," said Milligan. "It's very hard to make a mistake on dosages nowadays -- which happens sometimes when you put 10.0 milligrams and someone reads it as 100 milligrams. Those kinds of things rarely happen anymore because of technology."
Information gathering is just one of the many things the iPhone can do for Milligan, who uses the camera on the device to help determine a dermatology case with a patient.
"If you have a rash and you're not sure about it, I can snap a picture of it and email it to a specialist in Winnipeg," said Milligan. "They will tell you what they think. I have done the same thing with EKGs (electrocardiograms) which are used to diagnose heart arrhythmias and heart attacks. You take the picture of the EKG and you fire it off to a specialist."
The phrase "there's an app for that" applies to the medical field as well. Milligan says he lets his patients know of several apps that can help in terms of motivation -- helping them stay healthy.
"I tell some of my pregnant women about an app on a phone or a website that tracks week-by-week what their baby is doing in the womb," said Milligan. "The people who use this come to my office more prepared with more informed questions."
Could a smartphone application treat a medical condition?
"I don't think you can get away from the medications," said Milligan. "It would however, help you monitor yourself a little more closely. There are apps out there that measure your blood pressure and monitor your weight as well as your blood sugar.
"I haven't seen an app yet that could treat a condition. Maybe it's out there -- I just don't know about it," he continued.
Neepawa just added a portable ultrasound machine to its stable of new technological instruments. Milligan played a key role in bringing the new device to Neepawa and says it's invaluable to the hospital and his patients who use the machine.
"We have a little department which has the (portable) ultrasound now which we use for emergency conditions," said Milligan. "It makes for reaching a diagnosis sooner and it's more accurate.
"This new machine, which is smaller, is better. It produces better images, better resolution. It's a better machine."
Milligan believes that due to technological advances, the stethoscope -- a tool many of us consider as a symbol of the doctor's profession -- may soon become extinct.
"In 20 years from now, medical students will all have, instead of stethoscopes, a little probe that sticks into their iPhone and that will be their new stethoscope. I think that's coming," he said.
"I think looking at things will replace listening to things. But I think we're still a couple of decades away from that."
Milligan believes not every technological advancement in the medical field has its benefits. There have been several stories published around the world regarding remote appointments by doctors -- i.e. Facetime video meetings between doctor and patient. Milligan, who does not do remote appointments with his patients, was asked if said technology use will interfere with the doctor/patient relationship.
"I think it has the potential to (interfere)," said Milligan. "Where is the human interaction? I think there is a lot of value in that. Even just holding a patients hand or putting an arm around them -- you can't do that over the phone.
"I think you lose something there," he continued. "It affects the interaction you have with that person. I think a lot of doctors feel this way -- that they're kind of cautious with technology because for a lot of them, that's the most rewarding aspect of the job.
"I think it's very important for the patients because they really value that as well," he continued.
Looking ahead, Milligan says he's looking forward to what lies ahead in the medical field and is excited to be a part of it.
"I think it (technology) changes the way we do everything. I think for the most part, it's going to be better. I think it helps us as doctors to be more accurate and more thorough," he concluded.
In photo: Dr. Brian Milligan, with his smartphone in hand, smiles for the camera.
Photo submitted
