Physicians are feeling increasing pressure to see more and more patients in a single day. As reimbursements fall and overhead doesn't, increasing volume seems to be the only answer. There seems to be a belief that computers are the answer to almost everything. But computers can't speed up a patient who is having a hard time explaining his problem or who needs your support when confronted with a distressing diagnosis. Your patience, gentle probing questions and your empathy cannot be exchanged for a plastic box.
Physicians also have a tendency to expect more and more of themselves.
It goes on and on and on. Computerization is also seen as a way to standardize medicine and decrease variation in treatment. It will also be enormously helpful in analyzing outcomes data and tracking down what really works and what doesn't. But medicine is about relationships between people. Ultimately, nothing is more important or more satisfying than the physician-patient relationship.