Offcall Physician Spotlight: Meet Dr. Rich Bruno
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1. Rich, are you worried about deskilling — that idea that the next generation won't develop the clinical intuition you did because the model handles it? The short answer is yes - but they may gain skills and intuition in other ways. If you look back to how medicine was practiced even 20-30 years ago, there was much less reliance on technology and more on ‘intuition’. We didn’t have the imaging/diagnostics that we have now, and providers relied more on nuanced physical exams and detailed histories. The emerging concern was that increased reliance on diagnostics would somehow create a less competent workforce and lead to increased patient harm. I would argue that this is largely not the case. To translate the impact of today’s newest technology, AI, I think we will see providers more skilled at adapting to more clean, detailed information, with the ability to adjust care targeted at more specific demographics with even better outcomes. It may also allow for some ‘re-skilling’ to more interventional work as some of the more routine tasks no longer require a human interaction.
2. Do you think AI will solve the physician shortage or quietly make it worse? I don’t think that AI will inherently increase demand or decrease the potential supply of doctors. Whether it solves the issue completely or not remains to be seen. AI (without robotics that currently don’t exist) can’t deliver a baby, do surgery or procedures, or provide human touch. It’s very conceivable that medicine will become a more procedure heavy field for doctors but that simultaneously, the demand for health-driven procedures may increase.
3. What's something you used to judge other physicians for that you now completely understand? I’ve never been extremely judgmental of other physicians – we are all human and sacrificed a lot to get where we are. I’ve been lucky to serve hundreds of physicians in my career that ranged from engaging personal requests for accommodations at work, dealing with ’sub-optimal’ workplaces behaviors, or reviewing bad outcomes. In almost every case, there was a valid ‘human’ issue that warranted real consideration and understanding. The exception is when colleagues don’t treat each other well or professionally – that I’ll probably never understand.
4. If you had a magic wand for one thing in medicine, what would you fix tomorrow? It’s been clear for a long time that we need a more robust and functional national health system. The bottom line is that we have the ability to fund care for everyone, and the technological capabilities to get it to everyone, and I think it can be done in a way that doesn’t disrupt some very important economies within healthcare (i.e. pharma and R+D), still allows those with means to have access to additional options, and maintains compensation to attract the best and brightest into the field.
5. Who do you want to nominate next to get the next Physician Spotlight?? Dr. Joseph Scalea
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Experienced Regional Medical Director with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Responsible for 8 contracts at 6 hospitals, over 200 physicians and APPs, and a portfolio of over $50M. Skilled in Emergency Medicine, Healthcare Management, Healthcare, Medical Education, and Working with Physicians. Graduated from University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School), and Thomas Jefferson University.
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