Editorial Reflections on 2013
Ronald C. Merrell, MD, and Charles R. Doarn, MBA Editors-in-Chief
A
s 2013 comes to an ambivalent end, we probably should look back on health events of this year and the role of telemedicine. The refugee crisis in Syria excoriates our conscience as 2 million people flee the disintegration of their nation. Despite the pain and misery, it is notable that as a world we are getting a little better in making the best of disaster. The health consequences of the massive human flight have not earned newsworthy status. A massive storm in India was well predicted, and evacuations spared the horrendous loss of life we normally associate with such meteorological catastrophes. Our satellites benignly watch over us, and telecommunications alerts guide and move us from harm’s way. Bitter cold, earthquakes, devastating drought, storms, blizzards, floods, and general misery brought dreadful financial and personal grief, but the medical consequences were relatively minor, with excellent prediction, early response, and coordinated relief. On the other hand, war, insurrection, civil strife, and human mayhem have not been good news for medicine, and telecommunications can only tell how horrible the carnage was in Syria, Myanmar, Iraq, and a dozen places. Economic desperation still drives people onto fragile boats that sink at the very door of Europe, and the southern border of the United States continues to be a passage of painful rites. Spectacular astronomic events such as the February comet in Russia remind us that on our fragile spacecraft, Earth, we are subject to obliteration, but mostly we are really lucky! That event was of course best described on YouTube from a car camera, and the image went all around the planet for us to marvel and ponder. In this year, the penetration of smartphones and telecom reached such heights that perhaps we should report acceleration rather than actual volumes! We have never been so connected, and health is right there, with music downloads as a leader. In the field of telecommu-
DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2013.9982
nications perhaps a quiet note should be reserved for Voyager 2 as that plucky little spacecraft moves out of the solar system. Plugging along at 495,000,000 km/year, the 722-kg wonder will be half way to Proxima Centauri in another 20 years. Since its launch on August 20, 1977, it has taught us so much about our solar system. Of course, much has changed. By the time the craft reached the orbit of Pluto, the planetary status of that long-term member of our system had been withdrawn. We are not sure what the recordings on the craft will say to the extraterrestrials who might find Voyager 2. Well, Chuck Berry’s ‘‘Johnny B. Goode’’ will keep them in study for a long while at least. We may be grateful that the recording did not include Yanni. 2013 was the year our ‘‘little present from a small, distant world,’’ in the words of President Jimmy Carter, moved on to interstellar place. By the time the recipient of our little gift figures out the duration of the trip from the half-life of the uranium-238 on board, maybe they could come this way and see how well we have done in the interim. Now that is optimism! In this year polio was almost eradicated. Malaria was not so bad. No new epidemics struck. People lived longer. Of course, the human suspicion and potential for evil did not subside. There were reports that a previous U.S. Vice President was at risk for evildoers to control his internal pacemaker and kill him from afar. Those of us in telemedicine probably realized the flaw in this suspicion in that the radius for interaction with internal devices would make it impossible to do devilish deeds from more than a few meters. In this year, the United States struggled into healthcare reform and managed to spend an absolutely fabulous sum for lackluster healthcare. However, telemedicine will be part of the reform without question, and savings will follow. The interactive medical record will come into being soon, and healthcare can take on a seamless electronic continuum. So much for 2013 ruminations. The efforts of our authors, readers, and our affiliated organizations are recognized with gratitude and recognized for their excellence. We look forward to a really good year next year!!
ª M A R Y A N N L I E B E R T , I N C . VOL. 19
NO. 12 DECEMBER 2013
TELEMEDICINE and e-HEALTH 895
Ronald C. Merrell, MD, and Charles R. Doarn, MBA Editors-in-Chief
A
s 2013 comes to an ambivalent end, we probably should look back on health events of this year and the role of telemedicine. The refugee crisis in Syria excoriates our conscience as 2 million people flee the disintegration of their nation. Despite the pain and misery, it is notable that as a world we are getting a little better in making the best of disaster. The health consequences of the massive human flight have not earned newsworthy status. A massive storm in India was well predicted, and evacuations spared the horrendous loss of life we normally associate with such meteorological catastrophes. Our satellites benignly watch over us, and telecommunications alerts guide and move us from harm’s way. Bitter cold, earthquakes, devastating drought, storms, blizzards, floods, and general misery brought dreadful financial and personal grief, but the medical consequences were relatively minor, with excellent prediction, early response, and coordinated relief. On the other hand, war, insurrection, civil strife, and human mayhem have not been good news for medicine, and telecommunications can only tell how horrible the carnage was in Syria, Myanmar, Iraq, and a dozen places. Economic desperation still drives people onto fragile boats that sink at the very door of Europe, and the southern border of the United States continues to be a passage of painful rites. Spectacular astronomic events such as the February comet in Russia remind us that on our fragile spacecraft, Earth, we are subject to obliteration, but mostly we are really lucky! That event was of course best described on YouTube from a car camera, and the image went all around the planet for us to marvel and ponder. In this year, the penetration of smartphones and telecom reached such heights that perhaps we should report acceleration rather than actual volumes! We have never been so connected, and health is right there, with music downloads as a leader. In the field of telecommu-
DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2013.9982
nications perhaps a quiet note should be reserved for Voyager 2 as that plucky little spacecraft moves out of the solar system. Plugging along at 495,000,000 km/year, the 722-kg wonder will be half way to Proxima Centauri in another 20 years. Since its launch on August 20, 1977, it has taught us so much about our solar system. Of course, much has changed. By the time the craft reached the orbit of Pluto, the planetary status of that long-term member of our system had been withdrawn. We are not sure what the recordings on the craft will say to the extraterrestrials who might find Voyager 2. Well, Chuck Berry’s ‘‘Johnny B. Goode’’ will keep them in study for a long while at least. We may be grateful that the recording did not include Yanni. 2013 was the year our ‘‘little present from a small, distant world,’’ in the words of President Jimmy Carter, moved on to interstellar place. By the time the recipient of our little gift figures out the duration of the trip from the half-life of the uranium-238 on board, maybe they could come this way and see how well we have done in the interim. Now that is optimism! In this year polio was almost eradicated. Malaria was not so bad. No new epidemics struck. People lived longer. Of course, the human suspicion and potential for evil did not subside. There were reports that a previous U.S. Vice President was at risk for evildoers to control his internal pacemaker and kill him from afar. Those of us in telemedicine probably realized the flaw in this suspicion in that the radius for interaction with internal devices would make it impossible to do devilish deeds from more than a few meters. In this year, the United States struggled into healthcare reform and managed to spend an absolutely fabulous sum for lackluster healthcare. However, telemedicine will be part of the reform without question, and savings will follow. The interactive medical record will come into being soon, and healthcare can take on a seamless electronic continuum. So much for 2013 ruminations. The efforts of our authors, readers, and our affiliated organizations are recognized with gratitude and recognized for their excellence. We look forward to a really good year next year!!
ª M A R Y A N N L I E B E R T , I N C . VOL. 19
NO. 12 DECEMBER 2013
TELEMEDICINE and e-HEALTH 895
