I’m a Doctor, D*mn it!Trek and the Future of Healthcare#TrekHealth

Toner, BE, Dilmore K, Edgar A, Zatzkin W. “I’m a Doctor, D*am it!: Trek and the Future of Healthcare.” Presented September 4, 2016 and Star Trek Mission: New York. New York City, NY.

Meet the panelists• Kevin Dilmore (@KevinDilmore): author of more than a dozen Star

Trek fiction novels/stories and knower of all things Star Trek

• Whitney Bowman-Zatzkin (@MsWZ): healthcare’s most passionate community architect, NASATweetup & Space Camp alum

• Beth Toner (@BethTonerRN): nurse, writer, and self-proclaimed Trek super-fan

#TrekHealth

Special gratitude to Amy Edgar (@ProfAmyE), nurse practitioner extraordinaire and intended panelist today, for her research and contributions to this presentation.

We asked ourselves two questions:

Has Star Trek (in all its incarnations) influenced health care?

Will the future of health care really look like it does on Star Trek (in all its incarnations)?

The answer:

YES…

…And NO.

Some caveats• Yes, we believe in the whole healthcare team, not just those in Star

Trek. You will notice none of us are medical doctors. None of us are military officers either.

• Yes, we know health care works a little differently in a paramilitary (military?) organization like Starfleet. (Or at least we hope it does.)

• Yes, we love medical doctors from Star Trek, all of them. (Although some of us still think Dr. Pulaski is irritating.)

• This won’t be an exhaustive compilation.

• Yes, we know this is just a TV show/movie. (Or at least accept that reality…for now.)

The face that launched 1000

memes

And five more doctors…

WhitneyWhat did Star Trek inspire in healthcare and health-related life today and what is yet to be?

TricorderHand-held, non-invasive diagnostic tools• NASA uses LOCAD to find microorganisms on ISS• Portable ultrasound • Portable blood flow monitoring, cancer screening, bacterial

infection, and diabetes testing• MRI-like device for infectious bacteria monitoring in humans• Remote human monitoring (weight, BP, heart, sleep)

• And then there’s the slightly uncomfortable moment with a guy from DARPA in 2011

Not the X-Prize

Clinical Care DeliveryPresently in use:

• Communicator badges – Vocera has one• Hypospray – Predated Star Trek, “jet injection”

presently deliver vaccinations (MIT, 2012)• Sickbay – McCoy-inspired diagnostic bed• Geordi’s Visor - Stanford team created bionic

eye using the same concept• “Universal” Translator devices – Google

translate• Bio-patch universe of bone-growing,

monitoring, and medication delivery

We’re getting there

Hands-free in Healthcare

Invented and expanding use:• “Computer” - Amazon Echo, Siri, Google Assistant

even had the codename “Majel” for Majel Barrett-Roddenberry (wife, Nurse Chapel, computer voice, first lady of Star Trek)• Remote/Tele-surgery and consultation• Hands-free medical records/labs review (not just

for Blitzer)

One day, we WILL get to rename Alexa to “Computer”

Telepresence to AI devices

Robotic telepresence• ATLAS and BRAIN initiative • Robonaut • TED Talk challenge (2014 X-prize)• Cisco TelePresence• Tablets • QuickTime and digital music (TNG-inspired Apple’s

Perlman)• Watson – AI diagnostician?

Be in the room where it happens without BEING in the room!

What’s next?A few Trek-linked things on the horizon for adoption:• FAA certification of space tourism and flight “readiness” (a

new take on Space Camp)• “Replicator” hack - 3D printing (currently works for broken

bone repair, what about hearts? Tissue, antidote viruses, medications, what’s next?)• Artificial limb development for amputees and senior

mobility solutions (ATLAS)

Gossip from around the office H2O replicator

BethWill the future of healthcare really look like it does on Star Trek?

The NurseThe first person, last person, and person in between visits that everyone knows best when dealing with an evaluation of their health and wellbeing.

Nurses in Star Trek? Let’s take a look…

I’m a nurseStarfleet Academy obviously didn’t know that

I love Nurse Chapel too…… but this isn’t what nurses do.

This isn’t what nurses do, either

And in the most recent incarnation…Nurse Chapel was actually invisible

Then, there’s KesNot quite a doctor (but they would never call her a nurse)

The DoctorIs always the hero and the commanding officer and the researcher and the scientist and…

They got her right!I’d work alongside Alyssa Ogawa any day!

Tough StuffStar Trek hasn’t been afraid to tackle tough subjects:• End of life care• Assisted suicide• Cultural competency• Chronic diseases• Genetic/inherited traits and disease states• Patient-centered care

Remember this one?Coming out of illness, Spock asked the nurse to slap him to shake it off. She attempted, lightly slapping him. An attending came over, slapped Spock hard across the face and Spock was out of the hazy state and ready to respond. Sometimes, we have to listen to what the patient wants, even if it isn’t what we, as the clinician, would want.

The Holistic Approach

Holistic Care: What went right on Star TrekStar Trek also demonstrated a level of healthcare integration rarely seen in the U.S.• Mental wellness is recognized as impacting physical wellness• Care practitioners knew their patients well and provided individualized care

plans and assessment• Excellent models for triage and field first aid• Demonstrated clinicians continued commitment to understand WHY to do a

procedure, not just how (and learning the old and new techniques – like cauterization via laser and via heated metal object)

• Fluid and meal intake monitoring was important• Infection control and isolation practice would match Florence Nightingale AND

your favorite Trek practitioner. • Immediately managing an injury or illness allowed for successful repairs on the

ship

Holistic Care: What went wrong on Star TrekStar Trek also has some learning to do:• Tremendous focus on territory of roles and titles due to the military-style chain

of command but we know the future of care delivery requires a multitude of skilled providers (even AI/machines!)

• Prevention of disease (knowing future disease state markers) is key to mission success, often skipped in long-trajectory Star Trek world.

• Prolonging life will be key to keeping humans healthy in space.

Looking to the futureDreaming inside the Star Trek universe provokes questions as we consider the future of health care:• When we are no longer alone in the universe, what emotional support models

will need to be developed/included?• How do we learn from other intelligent life about new methods for healing?

What does the exploration of health and healthcare in Trek mean for those authoring the next adventure?

Kevin

#TrekHealthQuestions?

#TrekHealthThank you

Toner, BE, Dilmore K, Zatzkin W. “I’m a Doctor, D*am it!: Trek and the Future of Healthcare.” Presented September 4, 2016 and Star Trek Mission: New York. New York City, NY.