“The doctor must flee from junk medicine”

“The doctor must work as a doctor, and avoid junk medicine, which does not add value to the patient or the system.” These have been some statements of Antonio Gómez Caamaño, Minister of Health of Galicia, during the inauguration of 30th National Congress of the Spanish Society of General and Family Medicine (SEMG) which is celebrated in To Coruña until Saturday June 15. They also participated in the inauguration Pilar Rodríguez Ledo, president of SEMG; Keith Albert Foo, president of the Organizing Committee of the Congress of A Coruña; Antonio Otero Pose, president of the Scientific Committee; Ricardo Cao, rector of the University of A Coruña, and Ines Rey, mayor of the host city.

Less bureaucracy and junk medicine

In his speech, Gómez Caamaño stated that the Xunta “has, for some time, made its priority the commitment to Primary Care.” “It is necessary to recover Medicine as an act of value. To do this, you must ‘de-bureaucratize’ the work of the family doctor as much as possible”, has added. As he has pointed out, public health owes a lot to family doctors, and it is time for society and administrations to recognize the essential role of these professionals.

Artificial intelligence

Regarding artificial intelligence (AI), Gómez Caamaño has stated that he believes “firmly” in it. “He is going to revolutionize the way we do medicine, both in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. And, above all, the role of health professionals in their organizations, their relationship with the patient and also with the Administration, will change. I believe it is a basic tool that will help achieve powerful and efficient Primary Care.”

Setting the course

The president of SEMG referred to the motto of the National Congress, ‘Setting the course’, and said that this future is marked by technologies and innovation. Regarding AI, she has said that it is already a tool of the present that helps the doctor make a more precise diagnosis and prescribe a more personalized treatment. “The direction of the family doctor will be strengthened by advances, and AI assists and complements us. It allows us to dedicate ourselves in a more humane and closer way to the patient,” she added.

Digitalization and artificial intelligence

As the president of SEMG has pointed out, AI is one of the central topics of the National Congress. This scientific society is committed to ‘putting Family Medicine at the forefront of digital transformation, with new technologies, such as digitalization and artificial intelligence’.

Carlos Durán, head of the Digital Health Working Group of the SEMG, has commented that ‘AI is a powerful tool that has the potential to transform healthcare for the better. “It is important to continue researching and developing responsible and ethical AI applications that benefit all patients.” In this sense, SEMG collaborates with technology companies, such as Siemens Healthineers, to develop new applications and systems that facilitate patient care, increase the quality of care and improve the care of chronic patients, especially in the field of rural medicine.