What is the purpose of a pharmacist?

[kwiteaboy]

Originally Posted by thebeatblitz

Think about it: How do machines "know" what to detect? They have pre-programmed algorithms to detect abnormalities against a normal QRS. Unfortunately, the medical literature changes monthly, which means a machine's software would have to be updated monthly.

Do most cardiologists keep current to the month?

 

[thebeatblitz]

Originally Posted by Milhouse

Average refers to the mean. It is a statistics word. Physician refers to a person that holds an MD. Reading an ECG means interpreting the electrocardiogram.

You see, we can design something called an experiment. We know we have a population of physicians that read ECGs as a major responsibility. We can sample those physicians' interpretations of ECGs. We can compare those interpretations to samples of how a machine interpreted the ECG. We can then determine which results in better outcomes for the patient.

The problem with your study is that the average physician is not going to read an ECG when it really matters (complicated pt.), which is what I've tried to drive home. The average cardiologist, yes, which is why I tried to specify your comment.

Since, I'm not very far removed from my Step 1/2, I'm sure you'll be glad to know I still remember (most) of my EBM lectures

. If you take the "average physician" to compare it to an ECG readout machine, there's a selection bias inherent to your sample population when applied to the generalizability of the study. It may be a perfectly fine question to ask, but clinically, nobody cares if the ECG machine reads a rhythm better than a pediatrician, FCM, orthopedic surgeon, radiologist, and practically every IM subspecialty.

As I said before, I'd be pretty confident saying the machine will make non-significant differences in uncomplicated cases when compared to your average cardiologist, and in complicated cases, the average cardiologist will be statistically more likely to be correct. This is only a guess but a good one: I've never heard of a hospital that has a machine as house staff or faculty.

That's not say that machines aren't helpful or might be consulted, but the machine doctor days are far away.

And as far as keeping up to date, in the academic world, the saying goes "publish or perish". Almost every academic physician keeps up with their specialty literature on a monthly basis. I'm not sure about PP.

 

[thekunk07]

because ted leo needs a band.

 

[Milhouse]

Originally Posted by thebeatblitz

The problem with your study is that the average physician is not going to read an ECG when it really matters (complicated pt.), which is what I've tried to drive home. The average cardiologist, yes, which is why I tried to specify your comment.


Please define "average physician that reads ECGs" in your mind.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you seem to think that even a proctologist would be reading ECGs as a major component of their day to day job.

If that is how you think, I can't help you. You are beyond help, and please tell me where you will be practicing, so I know never to go anywhere near you.

 

[inq89]

I'm in pharmacy school right now (just got in, first semester of first year). Basically what has been said is accurate. We know everything that there is to know about drugs and interactions- and we tailor the patient's treatment plan in collaboration with the physician. I like to think of it as this....physicians are doctors of the human body and diagnosing...pharmacists are doctors of the medications that the patient takes and play an integral part of the treatment process. They both need each other. We aren't just "pill pushers" anymore since techs or machines do that nowadays. There is a huge push towards increasing the clinical awareness of pharmacy. The neighborhood pharmacist is the most readily available health professional to the community. We counsel the patients and concentrate on preventive care with lipid screenings, flu shots, etc. Another big movement is Medication Therapy Management, or MTM, which involves custom treatment plans for each individual patient. Google "Ashville Project" and you'll see the benefits that come from this. There are now Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners too. And that's just the retail side of it that most people think of when they hear pharmacy....I'm looking into hospital pharmacy (no angry customers) and there are tons of other opportunities in industry, public health, law, etc. It's not at all easy as some people think and I work for the paycheck we get once I'm out of school.

Cliffs: Pharmacists do a lot, not just count pills.

 

[crazyquik]

I stood in line next to a PharmD to get a bagel today. She was cute. Wearing scrubs, must have been research or clinical pharmacist.

Even if a machine could do it, would the machine be a cute blond getting a bagel?