In this video and text on Medscape, Ernest Tyson, CEO of Kaiser Permanente, talks about  changes in healthcare, but especially about how technology is transforming it. But one of his more memorable remarks came after Eric Topol, M.D., Medscape’s editor, asked him: “Did being a patient (with coronary problems) in those circumstances help in your role as CEO of a healthcare system?”

“Absolutely. I really mean this about touching my hand, because touching a hand is not a procedure you can plan. You cannot write an order for the nurse, at 2:05, to touch the patient’s hand. It is an emotional attachment. It is a human touching a human. We are heavy into technology. We are heavy into how technology will enable us to do a better job in taking care of each individual and millions of people, but not at the expense of the human touch. The human touch will always be the deciding factor of how people feel about the care that they are getting.”

To see and hear the entire interview, please hit this link.