Smartphones can never replace the vital human touch of your doctor
It’s not always the easiest thing to arrange – but getting an appointment with your doctor matters.
First, you have to get past the dragon on the receptionist’s desk who guards the GP’s time fiercely.
But once you’re sitting in the surgery, there’s something reassuring about the procedure.
So I was surprised to learn this week that, in a bid to cut spiralling costs, the Scottish Government is considering that we self-diagnose by using our mobile phones to check our blood pressure or take our temperature.
They’ve even got a snappy slogan for the procedure.
“Smartphones are the new stethoscope.” Please. GPs are under pressure, that’s true. Family doctors deal with everything from measles to sinus infections to heart problems.
They make home visits. They reassure a new mum that she’s feeding her baby properly.
They run tests on the lump on your breast that frightens you.
They listen to an elderly person who is feeling low in her spirits after the death of her husband.
A good family doctor uses his or her medical skills to heal and is also able to understand the things which lie under the surface. Depression, anxiety, eating problems, low self-esteem.
There isn’t a smartphone that can do any of that. We need the human touch. Through my years with children running high temperatures caused by chest infections, it was our family doctor who made the visit and prescribed the bananaflavoured antibiotic which took up permanent residence beside the milk in our fridge.
Face-to-face contact matters. Reassurance from your GP that everything will be all right is part of the healing process.
Yes, I can see the point of technology being used sensibly to help in GP practices. If we can monitor our weight and our blood pressure at home it may well help us to eat more sensibly.
Pilot schemes have already shown that texting your doctor with information helps diabetics monitor their sugar levels while patients suffering depression can receive regular online therapy.
It is a useful tool in health care – but I don’t think it should ever replace the human relationship.
Most young medical students who choose to be GPs have a genuine wish to deal with the “whole” person. We are not just our symptoms, there may be underlying causes for health problems and a family doctor who understands this and has time to listen and learn can make a huge difference to our well-being.
He or she is smarter than a smartphone any day.