Beyond the Screen: Presence and Technology in Medicine with Dr. Alice Loveys | FIM Podcast #39

Today, we are joined by Dr. Alice Loveys, a pediatrician and nationally recognized clinical informatics expert working at the intersection of healthcare, technology, digital health, and equity.Dr. Alice Loveys, MD, FAAP, FHIMSS, ABP-CI, is a pediatrician and Chief Medical Information Officer at IT Practice Consulting Group. She has practiced pediatrics in the Rochester region since 1994 and was among the inaugural class of United States physician diplomates in Clinical Informatics. Drawing from decades of experience spanning clinical care, software design, blockchain strategy, HIPAA/privacy initiatives, and healthcare leadership, she has become a nationally recognized voice on the intersection of medicine, technology, and human connection. Known as "Dr. Gadget" for her work testing and implementing new healthcare technologies, Dr. Loveys brings both clinical wisdom and systems-thinking to questions about how digital transformation can either fragment or deepen the healing relationship between clinicians and patients.In the conversation, Dr. Loveys shares how a Life Magazine photograph of a baby in utero sparked her lifelong sense of awe and wonder in medicine, revealing how that sense of the miraculous continues to inform her approach to both patient care and technology implementation.We also cover:How electronic health records were built for billing rather than storytelling, and what gets lost when documentation systems prioritize transactions over relationshipsThe promise and ethical tensions of AI in medicine, including questions of bias, transparency, patient empowerment, and the cultural shifts needed to support shared decision-makingWhy technology should be the "stone in stone soup" (the catalyst that brings people together) and how thoughtfully designed tools can reduce suffering when they preserve rather than replace human connectionDr. Loveys concludes by reminding us to never underestimate the laying on of hands, emphasizing that the guidance, empowerment, and authentic human encounter at the heart of healing must always come from or with a human being.Links:Dr. Ali Loveys LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ali-loveys/ EmPro Website: https://www.myempro.com/ EmPro Peer Support Program: https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/ Physician Support Line: +1(888) 409-0141Physician Support Line Website: https://www.physiciansupportline.com/ Dr. Krasner's Website: https://mickkrasnermd.com/ Mindful Practice in Medicine Website: https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/ Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(01:50) Dr. Alice Loveys(04:00) Why Medicine(09:00) The Concrete and the Miraculous(11:00) Systems in the Digital Age(16:00) Electronic Health Records(20:00) Technology and Burnout(23:00) Humanity in Informatics(31:00) AI in Medicine(35:00) Patient Empowerment(38:00) Blind Spots in AI(42:00) Sustaining Oneself(44:00) The Laying On of Hands(46:00) Conclusion