Does Health Information Technology Dehumanize Health Care?

Many authors lament that the entry of health information technology (HIT) into health care is likely to make medical practice more impersonal and less humane [1]. We are all aware of instances in which the availability of technology can lead to depersonalization of health care. The availability of CT scans might encourage doctors to neglect thorough history taking and neurological exams in the evaluation of headache. Echocardiograms might lead to declines in auscultation skills. Likewise, HIT could erode human interactions in clinical care.