The healthcare professional determines the possibilities of technological applications!
In recent years, I have been amazed that we have not used the enormous amount of technological possibilities that came into my field of radiotherapy more and better. That we still do not succeed in learning from every treatment and patient (quickly). What enormous knowledge would that lead to for doctor and patient! Healthcare professionals must take more of the lead in developing technological applications in practice: only we know what added value is and how it can enrich the Hippocratic Oath!
I therefore decided to educate myself completely outside my field: at conferences, online communities, courses, etc. Every moment of free time went into that in recent years. Besides the fact that it was incredibly interesting and fun, I also learned time and again to approach things differently. And that in turn helped to learn from every consultation with my patients and to define more sharply where I now really make the difference as a doctor.
That means truly being there for the other person, truly listening, “reading” the other person and taking them seriously: during consultations and during the contact between consultations. Digitally (video calling, chatting), by phone, physically. In fact, all of that may be called a consultation, because the profession ultimately revolves around interpreting things well together: the so-called “narrative”. And you build that up together by looking well, listening, doing interventions at the right moment, steering and coaching: all aimed at getting someone out the door healthier, better and with fewer worries.
Confidentiality is a must
To make that difference as a doctor, confidentiality between me and patients is a must. As a patient you are already vulnerable. In a consultation you literally expose yourself physically, but also in terms of your inner world. That is why it is crucial that this information remains confidential and is made available based on both of our assessments. Because you only get a good picture of what is sensitive for the other person by checking well with the patient. And what we as doctors have a good view of is how the health-related data can or cannot be used, whether it really serves health improvement.
Yet there is no possibility at this moment to take on this important task. What do I mean by this “possibility”? That we are technically facilitated to have the information and the data available together with our patient in order to interpret well together and determine where it can and may be used. And this must not be a snapshot, but must be managed continuously, although not all doctors or patients will be continuously busy with this.
At the moment, the framework to steer this is completely missing. A few consequences:
· Tightening of control on laws and regulations that quite often leads to misunderstanding among people in the field, where incorrect interpretations even lead to risky medical situations, such as: “unfortunately I cannot provide you with the information about your patient, because it is not allowed by the GDPR.”
· Shadow practices in which data are offered for sale for a variable amount without the knowledge of doctor and patient, as a necessary evil to make innovation possible and to develop services for the benefit of all of our health.
That is why I really wonder what our EU is planning with regard to that health data and the scope of the EHDS. If you want to properly allocate data use and management according to the frameworks derived from our democratic EU values, then we must think about a framework in which that consent on our health data is technically well arranged with those who carry the expertise and responsibility in this. I believe that the doctor and patient/client are these, preferably under the supervision of experts from relevant domains (such as, but not only: ICT specialists, ethicists, behavioral experts, politicians, insurers).
What I hope for in 2025 is that those who agree with me and can make European policy will enter into conversation with me about this. The solution is within reach. Technically everything is there, it is now a matter of ensuring that mindset and collaboration are guided to work out the first framework together: one that places confidential collaboration on health between doctor and patient at the center. From there it can grow organically.
Source: ICT&health magazine, Data Driven Doctor (nr. 06/2024).
