More AWAC
There is a new app out there that really should make doctors go “are your kidding me”? When patients with depression withdraw from their activities of life, their cellphone “can now track how often they send text messages and place calls, and how often they move and where they go. If their habits and patterns deviate in a way that suggests they’ve become withdrawn, the app alerts a doctor or other caregiver to check in”. That’s okay, I have no life as a doctor. I wouldn’t mind watching my phone keep going off with warnings like I am some type of military AWAC. Forget my own kids, they don’t need a father. My wife will understand why I can’t go to the movies with her because I need to keep watching my cell for warnings. Are you kidding me? You know, sometimes technology is a really good thing and advances medicine. This is NOT an example of that.
Nothing personal, but I don’t ANYONE for ANY REASON to have that much access to my personal life. If it can be used, it can be hacked….is a liability for the Dr. if they used this app and a creepy stalker for one their patients hacks in and does bodily? No thanks!
Oh yeah? How quickly will the AAFP jump on this as another way to provide a “medical home” to patients? It will eventually come with a 1% bonus from Medicare/Medicaid on phone/text services provided after-hours, after “quality” benchmarks are hit, with PriCare non-players threatened with penalties for not adopting this new technology. Seen this movie before.
Medical Home is bullcrap. Until patients are incentivized to change their crappy habits, nothing will improve. They can pay
us a lot more, but without the patients having skin in the game,
we’re still on a sinking ship. I no longer recommend primary care to students and a fair number of doctors are doing the same. Just go to a primary care meeting or review course and question your compatriots. The AAFP will realize that when they have to change their name to AAFNP.