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A Metadata Extraction Approach for Clinical Case Reports to Enable Advanced Understanding of Biomedical Concepts
Published on: September 20, 2018
Low-tech medicine: Enhanced definition and scope. A narrative review
Timothy Daly1,2, David Vaidis3, Julien Brunier4,5
1Bioethics Program, FLACSO (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales) Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Summary
High-tech medicine's rapid advancement is unsustainable amid global crises. A "low-tech medicine" approach, prioritizing relevance, sustainability, and accessibility, offers a more equitable and resilient healthcare future.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare systems research
- Medical technology assessment
- Public health policy
Background:
- Industrial societies pursue health via technological innovation, termed "high-tech medicine."
- This paradigm often overlooks trade-offs in patient care, environment, cost, and access.
- Current healthcare models face sustainability challenges due to global crises like climate change and inequality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the sustainability of perpetual technological development in healthcare.
- To explore and define the concept of "low-tech medicine" as an alternative framework.
- To propose criteria for a more equitable and resilient healthcare system.
Main Methods:
- A hybrid literature review approach was employed, combining peer-reviewed sources with grey literature.
- An analytical framework was developed from multidisciplinary reflections within the LowTechMed group.
- The study moved beyond a strict definition to conceptualize "low-tech medicine" as a guiding mindset.
Main Results:
- "High-tech medicine" presents an increasingly unsustainable benefit-harm trade-off.
- "Low-tech medicine" is characterized by three core criteria: relevance, sustainability (financial and environmental), and accessibility.
- This mindset emphasizes local resilience and reducing health inequalities.
Conclusions:
- Perpetual, unrestricted technological growth in healthcare is unsustainable.
- "Low-tech medicine" offers a viable alternative framework for research and practice.
- Adopting a "low-tech medicine" mindset can foster more effective, equitable, and resilient healthcare systems.
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