TED Atul Gawande

At one of the official TED conferences Atul Gawande argued how simple steps
can improve the medical field or anything in general. The TED (Technological,
Entertainment, Design) conference is a global set of conferences to spread worthy ideas.
Atul Gawande argues that implemented systems help improve the medical field but can
also be practiced in any other area. Referring to his example with surgeries the system is
composed of having teamwork with coworkers instead of having each specialist doing
their own work. Atuls idea of betterment in the medical field is about working together
and uses ethos, pathos, and logos to address his audience.
From the beginning he had already captured his audience when he started to
address his ethos by informing the audience of his rise to becoming a surgeon. At that
moment as well he used pathos by putting himself in a position where he relates to his
audience on how he wanted to improve in his field like anybody else and uses we to
form a relationship. Atuls presentation then went off and stared to bring out that there is
a problem in the medical field. He then goes off explaining how even though the medical
field has improved throughout the years; this then lets the audience know he is
knowledgeable. He strengthens his ethos by informing his audience that he is well aware
of the history of medical advances. He speaks on how the medical field has improved
through specialization, technology, and medicine though there are still faults. Once he
brings it up he uses logos by bringing up the statistics how patients receive inadequate or
inappropriate treatment. He keeps comparing the past with the present to show the
differences. Throughout the whole time his tone of voice is soft, patient, friendly and
caring by having that tone he gets the audience to pay attention to what he is saying. He
also slows and speeds up his words because it lets the audience know what to listen to
and in a way gives a tone of questioning so the audience is questioning along with him
and wait for the answer. Atul instead of saying doctors he refers them as cowboys to
reference how they try to do the job alone. He then refers teamwork as pit crews to give
the image on how fast and efficient teamwork can be. Throughout the whole presentation
he keeps the audience intrigued of what he is talking about. Then at one point he refers
how having the best things does not mean it will be perfect by comparing that with cars
and how putting all the best parts together would not work. Atul then gives the audience a
list on how to attack problems. The list was that the first step is to find where the problem
is. Second is to find a way to attack the issue and make a checklist to keep the problem at
bay. Then the last step is to implement the checklist so the issue gets resolved. By doing
all that he gets across his message that teamwork is essential for improvement and
betterment.
His message on betterment is that it is taken a step at a time and it requires
consistency and hard work. He points are simple for betterment. Atul gives insight on
how teamwork leads to betterment because no one can handle it all by himself or herself.
He gets his message across by using the medical field as an example and then at the end
of presentation he says how it does not only work in the medical field but in an every day
life.

Notes:
How do we all get good?
Can we afford worldwide what doctors do?
Louis Thomas (medical intern)
Pre-penicillin
People went to Hospitals for care warmth and safety
Time spent to find cures
Medicine started to improve
A life spent as a craftsmen
Doctors are courageous independent and self-efficient
We have nearly found out cures or treatment for most diseases
(4,000 surgical
6,000 drugs) in the US alone
Doctors cant know or do it all
Specialization has led to disastrous inefficiency
40% patients receive inappropriate/inadequate treatment
60% asthma patients receive inappropriate/inadequate treatment
2 million pick up diseases at hospitals due to lack of following basic hygiene
procedures
We have enough cowboys need more pit crews
Most expensive treatments does not mean it is the best
Obsessed with having best components (not good)
Medicine is not a system
For success
1
st
learn your failures
2
nd
find solutions
Checklists
3
rd
implement them