Why?
Because anesthesiologists there, thinking they're back from the future with swag, wear the goggles pictured above to keep an eye on four on-going surgeries, ALL AT ONCE.
CBS News reported last week on this frightening development.
According to Dr. Michael Higgins, a Vanderbilt anesthesiologist, "You may actually be monitoring anywhere from 4 to 15 patients at one time."
That is the scariest fucking thing I've ever read, coming from an anesthesiologist.
Why?
Because it's all an anesthesiologist can do to cover maybe two rooms, with two patients, at once.
Even then, you've got to be in one place or the other, so the other patient by definition is under the direct control of a nurse anesthetist or anesthesia resident.
The new goggles being tested in a pilot program at Vanderbilt contain a tiny screen, and a video-panel from each of four ongoing surgeries, displaying real-time images of all the patients along with their vital signs.
Other information, such as surgery schedules, medical charts, patient histories, etc., can instantly be flashed up on the screens.
Let me tell you something: sometimes keeping the one patient in front of you alive can take every functioning neuron you've got.
If Vanderbilt Medical Center is so screwed up personnel-wise that they can only afford to have one anesthesiolgist covering 15 rooms, then they better make sure they're paying their lawyers enough to get the very best in legal representation - 'cause they're gonna be needing it real soon.
And often.
Count me out as a patient there, thank you very much.
These clowns need to drink less Red Bull and get some sleep before they kill someone.
Un-fucking-believable.
The God complex goes ballistic.
The final sentence of the CBS News report says it perfectly:
"Finally, a doctor that not only thinks he's Superman, but one who acts like him." [via BH]
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