Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Winter 2017-18 - 24

PAMED President's House of Delegates
continued from page 23
being used for delivering the digitized health care that is not only
upon us, but increasingly expected.

practice medicine and see patients. It is a medical world very foreign
to many of us in practice today.
In Washington these days, we have a new kind of leader, who
makes us uncertain about our future - a future that more than ever,
we need to define ourselves. To paraphrase another leader, during
another time, "The torch is being passed to a new generation of
physicians..." In fact, the millennial generation - including both
patients and physicians - is upon us, ushering in the age of digital
health. And make no mistake, they are game changers in a health
care landscape that is changing exponentially before our eyes.
Born between 1980 and 2006, millennials represent 25 percent
of the population and are already expecting a new kind of ondemand health care delivery model. Like they do with Amazon and
Netflix, they are already expecting a top-notch consumer health care
experience to be delivered to them, where and when they want it.
They are reaching out only when they need health care; they expect
instant gratification, and then they move on, only to come back to
us, and the health care system, when they need us again. As our
prices and the cost of health care becomes more transparent, they
are becoming more cost conscious, switching doctors, using retail
clinics and urgent care facilities and traveling further to save money.
Gone is waiting days or weeks to schedule appointments to see us,
or waiting hours in our offices, or paying for expensive parking
in cities or suburbs. "In" are virtual visits on their computers or
smartphones, monitoring their own medical records electronically,
and using high level social media communication with the health
care system, including us physicians. Let me be clear - this is
not an anointment for Telemedicine, which some are calling the
21st century house call, as the be all, end all, in future health care
delivery; rather telehealth is only one example of the many tools now

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But with all due respect to technology advancement, empathetic,
personalized care for patients can get lost in translation. The
physicians of today and tomorrow need to strike a balance between
encouraging and providing health care convenience and promoting
the doctor-patient relationship - for many of us, the reason why
we wanted to become doctors in the first place. Of the practice of
medicine, we are now hearing the unthinkable from physicians -
"My dream has become my nightmare." Or "Every day I experience
a deep sense of depression and despair, telling me to walk away from
the profession." Examples of physician burnout are everywhere,
starting with our physicians in training. Increasing rates of
depression and suicide among our medical students, residents
and young physicians can no longer be ignored. We need to pay
attention to physician wellness activities. Only when we physicians
are supported and feel fulfilled in our work, can we do our best
in providing high-quality care for our patients. We represent the
noblest of professions, and we must always sound the trumpet in
saying that there will never be a replacement for looking into a
patient's eyes and soul, taking their hand, putting our hands on
their shoulders, and feeling their pain and their heart. These things
you cannot get by talking on a computer. Maintaining meaningful
physician-patient relationships will be our challenge, preserving
perhaps the most essential part of our legacy as physicians.
One last thing. Gentleman, look to your left and look to your
right. In 10 years, one or both of you will not be here. Why do I
say that? Because right now, more than 50 percent of those students
entering the field of medicine are women. Women are undoubtedly
going to lead us into the future of medicine and health care delivery.
They will lead us in a world much more diverse both within and
outside our practices. Whatever the composition of this house, they
will lead us in ways to practice medicine, including defining our
priorities, which will be vastly different from what exists today and
what we all are accustomed to. Trust me, this will be a good thing!
Yes, these are interesting and exciting times to say the least.
When I accepted your nomination for this job 2 years ago, I
promised to listen and learn, which I have tried to do. But to now
lead, I realize there is so much more I need to learn from all of you.
So this coming year, I will walk with you, and talk with you, and
learn yet more from you.... Have a cup of coffee with me any time.
I need all of you to help me lead. Together, we will address many
of the issues that face physicians today.....but I also ask all of you
to please join me in passionately preparing for how we all will be
practicing medicine tomorrow, and defining the future of health care
delivery. Without a doubt, that future is now in front of all of us.
Thank you again for the opportunity and honor to serve you.

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Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Winter 2017-18

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Winter 2017-18