I bought my wife a 1 gigabyte iPod Shuffle a year and a half ago.  I have a fourth generation 20 gigabyte iPod that I constantly add and remove music on and take time to select what music/artist/album I want to hear.  I also have created a vast network of playlists that coordinate to load the iPod with music.

Recently, I used the iPod Shuffle when mowing.  I loaded it up with a playlist and listened to it with the songs playing randomly.  It felt so nice to just listen to whatever came up.  I was like freedom, freedom from deciding what music I was in the mood for.

This experience made me think of a book I’d read about, 'The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less" by Barry Schwartz.  The choice of deciding what to listen to can sometimes be paralyzing because I have so many choices.  Using the iPod Shuffle takes away the overwhelming choices that Schwartz discusses in his book.

I think this applies to health care also.  There are overwhelming treatment options for conditions and making the best decision can be difficult especially because it is a critical choice.  In the health care world, many (most?) patient rely on their family practice physician to guide them.  I know I do.  That physician helps the patients by narrowing their choices in selecting treatments by recommending the best options.  Just like the iPod Shuffle does about music selection.