The Evolution of Medicine--An Introduction

The medical profession is one of the oldest and most visible professions. Doctors and healers have been a part of society for thousands of years. However, it is interesting to note that it is unclear whether or not doctors and healers had any impact on the actual health of their patients, in fact some scholars assert that doctors, with their lack of knowledge of pathogens and proper sterilization techniques in fact were more likely to harm their patients. The modern medical profession can be traced to the discovery of antibiotics such as penicillin in the early 20th century. Until then the odds of survival where equal or better by not seeing a doctor!






Medicine has often lagged a bit behind the times. In the 18th and 19th century as other industries underwent enormous development propelling the world into the industrial revolution, the medical profession largely remained somewhat constant. Similarly in the 20th century, as most industries computerized at a staggering rate, the medical profession remained a mostly pen and paper operation. This is not to say that physicians and the medical profession were not being innovative at the time, rather from the discovery of antibiotics, to the discovery of the human genome by Watson and Crick, to amazing new surgical techniques, to new sterilization technologies, vaccines, emergency medicine, new diagnostic tests, the medical profession was (and is) in a period of great discovery, one that is using modern technology to accomplish its goal of improving the health of people worldwide. This revolution in medicine created the modern medical knowledge base and the amazing and life changing procedures that we take for granted today.

Another revolution is coming, one that will change the way medicine is delivered to patients worldwide. A revolution in how doctors and health care professionals organize and collaborate with each other, and how health care is perceived. Our new president has made a health care reform a priority, a priority that is much needed as the United States spends more per capita GDP on health care than any other nation, but does not receive the highest level of care. This blog will attempt to explain, discuss, and react to the implications of the digitization of medicine, and the changes that medicine will undergo as a result. Our society will be forced to re-evaluate its priorities and way of thinking about health care in the coming years as the ancient profession of medicine will enter into the 21st century and be forever changed.