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Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)

bja.oxfordjournals.org

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Re: Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)

#2
Holy cow, that's a confusing title. I clicked on it trying to figure out why you'd give pilots anesthesia on a transcontinental flight.

In case anyone hits the comments first and has the same confusion: it's a "pilot study" in the sense that it's the first of its kind, and "transcontinental" refers to controlling the process remotely. Basically: can your anesthesiologist be off-site and do his work over the internet instead of having to be in the operating room?

Re: Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)

#4

There are powerful forces disallowing such innovations: https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.technologyreview.com/s/60114...

> But the professional group said the idea of a machine replacing human expertise was dangerous.

Not surprising given that those doctors' job is on the line here.

Re: Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)

#5
post #2

Holy cow, that's a confusing title. I clicked on it trying to figure out why you'd give pilots anesthesia on a transcontinental flight. In case anyone hits the comments first and has the same confusion: it's a "pilot study" in the sense that it's the first of its kind, and "transcontinental" refers to controlling the process remotely. Basically: can your anesthesiologist be off-site and do his work over the internet…

My first thoughts were on similar lines: A study on how to put economy class transcontinental-flight passengers out of their misery, pack them like sardines and resuscitate them on arrival. Wierdly enough, I might be tempted to opt for such a dystopian travel machinery than the one that exists now.

Re: Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)

#6
post #5
post #2

Holy cow, that's a confusing title. I clicked on it trying to figure out why you'd give pilots anesthesia on a transcontinental flight. In case anyone hits the comments first and has the same confusion: it's a "pilot study" in the sense that it's the first of its kind, and "transcontinental" refers to controlling the process remotely. Basically: can your anesthesiologist be off-site and do his work over the internet…

My first thoughts were on similar lines: A study on how to put economy class transcontinental-flight passengers out of their misery, pack them like sardines and resuscitate them on arrival. Wierdly enough, I might be tempted to opt for such a dystopian travel machinery than the one that exists now.

If it could be demonstrated to be safe, I have trouble seeing any downside to your idea!

Re: Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)

#8
post #2

Holy cow, that's a confusing title. I clicked on it trying to figure out why you'd give pilots anesthesia on a transcontinental flight. In case anyone hits the comments first and has the same confusion: it's a "pilot study" in the sense that it's the first of its kind, and "transcontinental" refers to controlling the process remotely. Basically: can your anesthesiologist be off-site and do his work over the internet…

Could change the title to "applying anesthesia from a remote site: a pioneering study".

Re: Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)

#9
post #7

Anaesthesiologist seems like one of the first doctors that could be entirely replaced with a robotic system. They are basically there to monitor and asses multiple vital factors, which seems entirely appropriate for a control system.

Pharmacist is the medical job that is already completely obsolete and could be eliminated if not for unions and inertia.

Pharmacists almost never do compounding anymore. They just take pills off a shelf and hand it to you. If manufacturers and doctors could agree on standard drug regimens, counting out pills would be unnecessary as well (or could be replaced by minimum wage labor or robotic/vending machine-like devices). Most pharmacies have a computerized drug-interaction checker, so even that minor function of the pharmacist is unneeded.

I wonder how recent pharmacy graduates feel about spending years of studying and training and major expense for what turns out (in today's world) to be a clerical job?

I expect that within 5 to 10 years, pharmacist will be one of those jobs like telephone operator or travel agent that used to employ hundreds of thousands of people, but is now only seen in old movies.

Re: Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)

#10
post #6
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My first thoughts were on similar lines: A study on how to put economy class transcontinental-flight passengers out of their misery, pack them like sardines and resuscitate them on arrival. Wierdly enough, I might be tempted to opt for such a dystopian travel machinery than the one that exists now.

If it could be demonstrated to be safe, I have trouble seeing any downside to your idea!

Probably because anaesthesia has significant risks, and even if it was safe, most people would spend the first few hours on arrival puking (a very common side effect of anaesthesia).
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