Safe asleep? Human-machine relations in medical practice.

Area of Science:

• Medical Science
• Anesthesiology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Anesthesia involves patients entrusting vital functions to clinicians and technology.
• Anesthesiology operates at the intersection of consciousness, human-machine interaction, and complex decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the practices and knowledge sources essential for safety in anesthesiology.
• To examine how practitioners manage evolving boundaries in a high-risk field.
• To understand the nature of expertise in anesthesia, particularly concerning human-machine collaboration.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of practices and knowledge sources in anesthesiology.
• Examination of the role of technology as an intermediary between patient and practitioner.
• Exploration of the concept of 'anesthetic hybrids' and distributed agency.

Main Results:

• Anesthetic practice is characterized by shifting boundaries and a hybrid nature, involving patients, clinicians, and machines.
• Expertise in anesthesia relies on integrating clinical, social, and electronic knowledge sources.
• Distinguishing between routine and critical situations is key for expert practitioners.

Conclusions:

• Recognizing the dynamic distribution of agency between humans and machines is crucial in anesthesia.
• Anesthesia expertise involves managing complex interactions at the human-machine frontier.
• Understanding these dynamics sheds light on human authorship and expertise in technologically mediated care.