I read an excellent article by Abraham Verghese in The Atlantic today. It made me think two things: first, I really love The Atlantic. Second, how much time are attending physicians spending on computers? He talks throughout the piece about how the problem with electronic medical records is that now he spends so much less time at the bedside and bemoans the effect this has on medical education.

This is a sentiment voiced by many others, but it always leaves me puzzled. As a resident, I spend less time than I’d like at a computer. Call nights are spent in the ED, poking and prodding, both verbally and physically. Too many crosscover notes begin, “Called to bedside for…”. I often dream of a job as described by Dr. Verghese, where I sit before a computer without complicated family discussions, difficult histories, perplexing exams. In reality, I spend too little time at the computer, and then prior to rounds I sit down and furiously fly through electronic notes and old echo and cath reports, so that when I round with my attending I can explain that 4 years ago, the patient’s ejection fraction was 35%.

Is there some projecting going on here? To all the attendings out there: if you feel you are not spending enough time at the bedside, then that is a personal choice. Those of us at the tip of the spear seem to spend little time elsewhere. We are always happy to have company.