"Lost Touch" : Situating Human-Connectedness in Technology-Caring in the Health Sciences

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Technology
• Nursing and Caring Professions
• Medical Ethics

Background:

• The integration of high-technology in healthcare has led to a perceived dichotomy between technology and the 'high-touch' aspect of patient care.
• Concerns exist regarding the potential loss of human connectedness within the technologically advanced healthcare landscape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the role of technology in shaping professional identity and practice boundaries within healthcare.
• To examine the concept of human connectedness as integral to the process of caring in a technological world.
• To propose a reconciliation between technology and caring, emphasizing human connectedness.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis and discourse on the integration of technology and caring in healthcare.
• Examination of how technology influences professionalization and societal roles in health professions.
• Literature review and philosophical inquiry into human connectedness within technological contexts.

Main Results:

• Technology is essential in professionalizing healthcare practitioners, redefining practice, and expanding societal contributions.
• While technology facilitates caring and competency, human connectedness may appear diminished in discourse and practice.
• The concept of human connectedness is crucial for ongoing dialogue between technology and caring.

Conclusions:

• Technology and caring are not mutually exclusive; technology can enhance, not replace, human connection in healthcare.
• Reconciling the perceived paradox of technology and caring requires an appreciation of human connectedness as fundamental.
• Future healthcare models should integrate technological advancements with a strong emphasis on maintaining human connectedness.