Technology may make the ‘worried well frantic’ – surgeon
THE NHS should prepare for a surge in patients as advances in technology make personalised health information more readily available, a leading surgeon has warned.
The rising prevalence of wearable devices, sensors and DNA testing will send the “worried well” into “hyperdrive”, consultant neurosurgeon Richard Kerr said.
GPs and A&Es will “undoubtedly” see more patients who might be “confused and scared” about what the health information means for them, he added.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has previously said the NHS offers “the world’s biggest opportunity” for saving lives through technology and vowed to drive change.
Mr Kerr, chairman of the Royal College of Surgeons’ (RCS) commission on the future of surgery, said there will soon be “an immense amount” of health information available to patients.
“The ‘worried well’ will be sent into hyperdrive,” he said.
“GP practices and A&Es will undoubtedly see more patients who are concerned about what this information means for them.
“Better early diagnosis is good news for patients.
“Prevention, or early intervention, is always better than cure.
“That said, the NHS will need to be ready to handle an influx of patients with potentially valid concerns about their risk of falling ill in the future.”
He added: “As health professionals, we will need to help patients navigate this proliferation of information and provide tailored support so they can understand their risk of illness, as well as their treatment options, should their concerns lead to diagnosis.”
Mr Kerr said that genetic testing may also lead surgeons to carry out more preventative surgery, including among those predisposed to certain cancers.
However, he warned that there is a risk that some patients will be offered treatments they do not need, as a result of the rise in information.
Mr Kerr said: “Medical professionals will also need to be vigilant to the risk of misdiagnosis and overtreatment that this proliferation of personalised health information could bring.
“There is unfortunately the danger that the unscrupulous of our profession could prey on the fears of patients, convincing them that treatment is necessary, where it is not.”