Automation, or Why Your Anesthesiologist and Airline Captain Aren't Being Replaced By A Box

On today's podcast, we discuss how automation has its place, but how it is limited, and how it will always be necessary to have human input in critical processes.

One of the stories is about US Airways Flight 1549, the "Miracle on the Hudson."

Another story is about Air France Flight 296, an early and poignant example of the limitations of automation.

As healthcare has become more technology-dependent, talk has circulated of replacing anesthesiologists with machines. I offer some of my thoughts of why this is not likely to happen.

And, finally, I tie it back into general emergency preparedness.