Keith a. bauer system that is more likely to be more efficient and lead to better health outcomes for patients in addition, as many of the routine tasks and functions that constitute the roles of healthcare professionals are taken over and performed automaticall y implants(e.g, nurses measuring patient glucose levels and heart rate),the roles of healthcare pr professiona als will be redefined in a way that allows them opportunities to practice preventative medicine. For example, rather than spending their time and energy collecting patient physiologic data, they will be able to focus more on analyzing patient data, assessing patient health, and developing treatment strategies Again, it must be emphasized that subdermal biosensors and microchips alone cannot improve the continuum of care or make our healthcare system proactive rather than reactive. As stated previously, the real power of implant able microchips and biosensors is not so much in how they change the interior of a patient's body, but in how they more efficiently and more broadly allow us to change the way patients and healthcare professionals control and adapt to their environments by means of information and telecommunications technology Concerns about Implantable Microchips and Biosensors The use of implantable computer chips and biosensors is likely to have some very real benefits for patients and for our healthcare system in general. But the use of these devices also raises a number of questions about the quality of care implanted patients will receive. Two particular concerns are device usability and reliability and the potentially negative impact of these devices on provider- patient relationships Usability and Reliability In the broad area of human factors, there remain significant knowledge gaps in our understanding of the usability and reliability of implantable microchips and biosensors. It is important that these knowledge gaps be adequately addressed, as the usability and reliability of these devices will have profound implications for the quality of care patients will receive. What is needed to fill these knowledge gaps? First, more research in general on technology dependency and the effects of that dependency are required. In the case of microchips and biosensors, we need to understand better, for example, how patients who have a loss of normal function will come to depend not only physically but also emotionally and psychologically on these devices In gaining a more thorough understanding of the dependencies that patients will likely come to have on their implants, we are more likely to view implanted patients as bio-psycho-social creatures, not just bodies with new gizmos. 5 This, in turn, will help to guarantee that patients receive the highest quality medical care as well as the best medical technology Second, we need methods for the testing and debugging of prototypical Implan nts and biosensors in simulated and real environments before these devices are used on a wide scale by the healthcare industry. This means that these devices will need to be tested in the homes and workplaces of patients not just in the laboratory. 6 Moreover, information and communication tech-system that is more likely to be more efficient and lead to better health outcomes for patients. In addition, as many of the routine tasks and functions that constitute the roles of healthcare professionals are taken over and performed automatically by implants (e.g., nurses measuring patient glucose levels and heart rate), the roles of healthcare professionals will be redefined in a way that allows them opportunities to practice preventative medicine. For example, rather than spending their time and energy collecting patient physiologic data, they will be able to focus more on analyzing patient data, assessing patient health, and developing treatment strategies. Again, it must be emphasized that subdermal biosensors and microchips alone cannot improve the continuum of care or make our healthcare system proactive rather than reactive. As stated previously, the real power of implantable microchips and biosensors is not so much in how they change the interior of a patient’s body, but in how they more efficiently and more broadly allow us to change the way patients and healthcare professionals control and adapt to their environments by means of information and telecommunications technology. Concerns about Implantable Microchips and Biosensors The use of implantable computer chips and biosensors is likely to have some very real benefits for patients and for our healthcare system in general. But the use of these devices also raises a number of questions about the quality of care implanted patients will receive. Two particular concerns are device usability and reliability and the potentially negative impact of these devices on provider– patient relationships. Usability and Reliability In the broad area of human factors, there remain significant knowledge gaps in our understanding of the usability and reliability of implantable microchips and biosensors. It is important that these knowledge gaps be adequately addressed, as the usability and reliability of these devices will have profound implications for the quality of care patients will receive.14 What is needed to fill these knowledge gaps? First, more research in general on technology dependency and the effects of that dependency are required. In the case of microchips and biosensors, we need to understand better, for example, how patients who have a loss of normal function will come to depend not only physically but also emotionally and psychologically on these devices. In gaining a more thorough understanding of the dependencies that patients will likely come to have on their implants, we are more likely to view implanted patients as bio-psycho-social creatures, not just bodies with new gizmos.15 This, in turn, will help to guarantee that patients receive the highest quality medical care as well as the best medical technology. Second, we need methods for the testing and debugging of prototypical implants and biosensors in simulated and real environments before these devices are used on a wide scale by the healthcare industry. This means that these devices will need to be tested in the homes and workplaces of patients, not just in the laboratory.16 Moreover, information and communication tech- Keith A. Bauer 286