By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    physical health
    5 Ways Playing Games Can Improve Neural and Physical Health
    September 9, 2022
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    February 16, 2022
    healthcare organization
    5 Actionable Strategies For Healthcare Organizations
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    email marketing in healthcare
    Harnessing the Power of Email Marketing in Healthcare
    October 26, 2023
    healthcare claims
    The Role of Communication in Resolving Complex Workers’ Compensation Claims in Healthcare Settings
    September 22, 2024
    Wounds and Wisdom: What Motorcycle Accidents Teach Us About Health and Healing
    Wounds and Wisdom: What Motorcycle Accidents Teach Us About Health and Healing
    February 12, 2025
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Automated Care: Thermostat of Health or Ponzi Scheme?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Automated Care: Thermostat of Health or Ponzi Scheme?
BusinesseHealthTechnology

Automated Care: Thermostat of Health or Ponzi Scheme?

JosephKvedar
Last updated: September 6, 2012 8:12 am
JosephKvedar
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

The last post on the cHeath Blog was mid July.  I think that is the longest hiatus since I started blogging in March of 2010.  But the summer was great in New England. Lots of warm days and cool nights and plenty of sunshine. So as we close the books ‘unofficially’ on summer 2012, I’m back.

I also want to give a shout out to my colleague Gina Cella who was instrumental in thinking up one of the analogies used in this post (the Ponzi scheme).

The last post on the cHeath Blog was mid July.  I think that is the longest hiatus since I started blogging in March of 2010.  But the summer was great in New England. Lots of warm days and cool nights and plenty of sunshine. So as we close the books ‘unofficially’ on summer 2012, I’m back.

I also want to give a shout out to my colleague Gina Cella who was instrumental in thinking up one of the analogies used in this post (the Ponzi scheme).

More Read

prosthetics designer
The Amazing Saga of Mike Schultz, Citizen Scientist
3 Ways The Internet Can Make Healthcare More Accessible
eVisits: The 30-Year March?
Health IT: A Rapidly Changing — and Lucrative — Industry
What Colonoscopies Cost (and Why)

Though I haven’t posted in six weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot.  One of the concepts that is occupying my mind is that of automated care.  The last time I wrote about automated care was February of 2011 (Emotional Automation, Revisited).  Lately I’ve been thinking about it more and more. The burden of chronic illness continues to rise and the size of the provider work force is not keeping up.  This manifests as overworked, unhappy providers, particularly in primary care.  

Sooner or later we’ll need to come to the conclusion that some of the care processes must be automated.  Other industries have done this and whether it is pumping your own gas or checking yourself in at the airport, we seem to like it just fine.  In fact the airline industry plans to take it to a new level.  But in healthcare, we don’t just employ one person where other industries have automated, we employ three or four to do redundant work.  We have a long way to go.

However, the idea that a software agent, or a robot might take on various aspects of your care tends to ‘creep out’ both patients and providers.  Maybe it’s because they fear that robots will run amuck as is illustrated in this amusing video. 

Yet, folks like my friend Tim Bickmore have capably shown that in some instances, patients actually prefer a software agent to a person.  There are several examples, in addition to Tim’s work, that show how software agents can indeed be caring.  Buddy, a virtual companion from the new company Geri Joy is one such example.  It’s a cuddly representation of a dog that appears on a tablet, but responds to voice and to touch in the way a real pet would.

Effective automated care includes feedback loops and emotional responses.  Feedback loops typically involve some measured parameter. The idea behind automated care is to send effective, caring messages to an individual based on the feedback loop.

A great example of a feedback loop we take for granted is the thermostat.  We’re all better off because of internal climate control whether it be in a New England winter or the summer in Abu Dhabi.  Thermostats work well and fade into the background. We don’t even realize they are working most of the time.

So it would be in the case of an effective automated care structure.  Some signal would come in from the patient’s remote monitoring device(s) and a caring response would go out to the individual.  When that process works well, the individual will be comforted and pleased, as in the case of Tim Bickmore’s relational agents or Geri Joy’s Buddy.  If, however, the feedback loop is not crisp, it would be more like the cleverbot video linked above.  Or like a Ponzi scheme, where there is a positive feedback loop with no control and eventual implosion of the system.

In a Ponzi scheme, ‘A’ produces more of ‘B’ which in turn produces more of ‘A,’ a classic example of a positive feedback system. The ‘A’ is profit and the ‘B’ is new investors. Profits are channeled back to new investors which, left unchecked, can lead to rapid growth towards collapse.

When we use information from the past to influence behavior in the future, that is feedback.  A heart failure patient eats pizza and gains three pounds, putting him or her at risk for a visit to the emergency room. Cause and effect. But, when we share that data with the patient, he or she will be more aware of the cause and effect, and will likely avoid eating pizza in the future.

All of you are leaders in creating the new generation of healthcare.  It is well recognized that we must act boldly. We have the capability of building systems that are more like Buddy or Tim’s nursing agent.  We must avoid building systems that are like the cleverbot example.

It’s in our hands.  Are you up to the challenge?

TAGGED:automated healthrobots
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

ICD-10: The Countdown is Over – Last Minute Tips

October 1, 2015
technology helps aging seniors
Senior CareTechnology

Best Technology Devices to help Seniors Age in Place

June 13, 2022
Image
eHealthSocial Media

How to Engage Patients and Gain Online Visibility

September 27, 2016

Drug Dispensing Robot at Hospital Pharmacy

March 13, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?