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Crucial to keep patient at centre of healthcare, says PGI director
Dr Lal emphasised the importance of keeping the patient at the centre of healthcare and adopting a comprehensive approach to clinical care
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The inaugural ceremony of the three-day annual PGI arthroplasty conference took place on Friday at the Lalit Hotel. Organised by the orthopaedic surgery department of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) under the aegis of arthroplasty society of tricity from Thursday, the theme of conference is “Mastering the precision and newer techniques in joint replacement”.
Director, PGIMER, Dr Vivek Lal attended the event as the chief guest. Dr Lal emphasised the importance of keeping the patient at the centre of healthcare and adopting a comprehensive approach to clinical care. “It is important that we keep the patient in the centre of whatever we do. Medicine cannot be practised in silos when the patient requires a comprehensive approach. That is where the role of a neurologist, the role of an internist and the role of other domains of medicine comes into being,” he said.
Speaking about the growing influence of AI in healthcare, Lal said technology should remain an aid to doctors and not a replacement for human experience and judgement. “AI may help me, and it may be good at it, but I don’t think it can substitute for the experience of your hands,” as he described AI as a transformative technology while emphasising the need for responsible engagement with its implications.
Lal said that preserving the human dimension of medicine would become increasingly important as technology advances. “If you want to maintain sanity in medicine, it is ultimately our emotional touch, our compassion, our patient-centric approach, and our alignment of thought and action towards the well-being of humanity”, he added.
Head of orthopaedic surgery department, Dr Vijay G Goni highlighted the evolution of contemporary arthroplasty and the growing role of personalised planning, precision surgery, navigation and robotics.
“Orthopaedic surgery now involves a much broader spectrum, including patient selection, personalised planning, precision surgery and enhanced recovery. We are witnessing the growing use of navigation, robotics and other advanced technologies for complex as well as primary procedures. But while technology and techniques continue to evolve, the central principle remains unchanged—the patient has to remain at the centre of everything we do,” he said.
