Etienne Cuénant, urological surgeon and president of the Academy of Sciences and Letters of Montpellier discusses the theme of this conference with numerous personalities on the theme: “Care. Changing expectations and practices”.
Why this conference around the theme “Care. Changing expectations and practices”?
The idea for the conference comes from Max Ponseillé (doctor and president of the Oc Santé group, Editor’s note). It was decided three years ago, as we always do well in advance. At that time, we were coming out of Covid. We felt a growing unease around health, as we can read daily in the newspapers. And unfortunately, if I dare say, this theme has remained relevant today.
How did you organize the conferences?
We wanted something very transversal: there will be doctors, nurses, the director of the ARS, two directors of the University Hospital but also psychologists, philosophers, writers… We tried to combine points of view.
We can imagine that during your career you must have seen care evolve…
The behavior of the patients has rather changed for the better. Before, the doctor decided. Over time, the need for a real dialogue with the patient has emerged so that they have confidence in you. You have to gain their consent. What has also evolved is society which has become more individualized where there is less solidarity and fraternity.
Needs have evolved, teenagers are more addicted, we live much longer, we want to stay at home as long as possible… How have professionals had to adapt?
50 years ago all medical pathologies were acute. Over time this was resolved. We no longer die from acute kidney failure or an acute diabetes incident… These pathologies have become “chronicized”. But society has evolved: we live alone, longer… the problem of aging has become our number one problem. The two items which are not sufficiently funded by the State are retirement and health with the additional costs linked to aging. And we can no longer think about this alone. This will be a problem that will not be resolved at the level of doctors alone: it has become a societal problem.
You have a conference on AI. Can it help with care management?
We don’t know, except for surgery for which the AI is in operation. In any case, we have a feeling that something is going to happen with artificial intelligence. Personally, I am not an expert but we expect a lot from the conference of Bernard Nordlinger who is an oncologist but also a great specialist in this issue who is responsible for these issues at the National Academy of Medicine. What is certain is that the medicine of tomorrow will be turned upside down by AI.
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