Hi Gauri,
I agree about the climate effect of digital technology. Here is one estimate from MyClimate.org -
"How big is the digital CO₂ footprint?
According to one estimate, around 5.5 billion people worldwide will have internet access in 2024. Every single search query, every streamed video and every type of cloud computing, carried out billions of times, is responsible for an ever-increasing global demand for energy - and therefore also for rising CO₂ emissions. The majority of the digital footprint is caused by video streaming due to the large amounts of video data. In comparison, using a search engine or sending text-only emails only has a minor impact.
Due to constant technological progress, efficiency improvements, changing consumer habits and substitution and summation effects, it is difficult to precisely quantify the exact share of digital emissions in global CO₂ emissions. Various studies estimate the share to be between 1.5 and 4 per
cent, which equates to the emissions of the entire aviation industry."
I have consent from my cousin and her family to share this current example of real life data sharing that is having positive benefits. This sharing and communicating understanding and risk could happen in many places if service providers would allow patients to see their own records when in hospital.
My popular and well loved cousin, Lynne, is 76 years old and married to a farmer. She and her husband, Derek, live on a farm. Lynne's father, my uncle, was a veterinary surgeon and Lynne has lived near or on farms for most of her life. She has a past medical history of a heart attack, of a successfully treated rectal carcinoma and colostomy. She is normally very physically, artistically and socially active.
A very unusual set of medical events has necessitated a great deal of research and study by Lynne's family as the very stretched staff have not had the time or authority to explain what has been going on - not least because it is so unusual and complex. The family have found it very helpful for me to research Lynne's diagnoses and treatment options and to speak to one junior member of staff. Access to her records by myself, by Lynne, and by her family would have made this so much easier.
Lynne was admitted to hospital with Type A influenza and lobar pneumonia complicated by atrial fibrillation early this year. She was discharged home after a few days but felt very tired, listless and at only about 30% of her usual energy levels. She had abdominal and back pains. She was admitted again and eventually diagnosed as having a rare perforating aortic ulcer (different to an aortic aneurysm and a finding of a pasteurella infection - a zoonotic infection. There is thrombus around the leaking aortic ulcer. The staff have been very good but have not had the knowledge and expertise
to explain the medical terms and procedures to the family. I have been looking this up and finding suitable research studies to share with the family. The reason that I mention this is that this has been extraordinarily helpful for Lynne and the family (and a pleasure for me to be able to help). The story also begs the questions of why the patient and family cannot see the records.
Lynne is to stay in hospital, until a regional facility can implant an aortic stent through her femoral artery into her thoracic aorta.
(***Junior staff are not usually competent to communicate accurate medical data to patients as they lack the knowledge of the clinical conditions. Senior staff are not easily available, New report sheds light on top hospital complaints investigated by the Parliamentary and Health
Service Ombudsman https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blog/news/new-report-sheds-light-t....
Record access for patients would really help.
"Non-medical aspects of patient care are cited as a factor in almost half of all complaints investigated by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Poor communication, including quality and accuracy of information, was a factor in one third of all complaints."
HIFA profile: Richard Fitton is a retired family doctor - GP. Professional interests: Health literacy, patient partnership of trust and implementation of healthcare with professionals, family and public involvement in the prevention of modern lifestyle diseases, patients using access to professional records to overcome confidentiality barriers to care, patients as part of the policing of the use of their patient data
Email address: richardpeterfitton7 AT gmail.com