tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655407863660711763.post4933906257695413918..comments2023-04-13T15:43:17.917-04:00Comments on Billy Rubin's Blog: Will Doctors Be Relevant in the World of Watson?Billy Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04850166742797443954noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655407863660711763.post-64955147718814128222011-10-03T23:05:13.147-04:002011-10-03T23:05:13.147-04:00This raises another good question. Will alternativ...This raises another good question. Will alternative medicine evolve to a point where doctors take the backseat? I know chiropractors are gaining prominence.chiropractor Sydney City headacheshttp://www.chiropractorsydney2000.com.au/headachesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655407863660711763.post-14089858451109674282011-02-20T09:25:50.676-05:002011-02-20T09:25:50.676-05:00Some other thoughts.
Watson would be helpful in f...Some other thoughts.<br /><br />Watson would be helpful in forming a differential diagnosis, and in offering the "evidence based" treatments. However Watson would not be able to determine how well the treatment would fit the particular individual. Statistics are based on the group and the larger the group the less relevant to the individual. It also is questionable if Watson could sort through the spin that goes into "evidence-based" treatment recommendations.<br /><br />Watson would be helpful if there is only one treatment for the condition, like Jeopardy in which there is only one treatment. I don't see Watson helpful in forming treatments for poorly defined conditions which have few effective treatments, ex: fibromyalgia.<br /><br />Since a large part of treating chronic disease involves helping the patient make appropriate lifestyle changes I don't see Watson being helpful. Computers make lousy teachers for complex tasks like behavioral change.<br /><br />I guess the role of Watson is determined by how one sees medicine. Is medicine the process of assigning the patient to the correct check box and then picking the procedure or prescription that goes with that, or is medicine the art of understanding how the patient's symptoms arise out of the relationships between the patient's internal and external environments and interacting in a way that evokes healing or palliation? Watson could do well at the former, not the latter.Joseph P Arpaia, MDhttp://www.jparpaiamd.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655407863660711763.post-72071288184996502052011-02-20T00:16:00.250-05:002011-02-20T00:16:00.250-05:00I don't think you need to worry. Medicine is a...I don't think you need to worry. Medicine is a lot more than just taking a symptom list and assigning probabilities.<br /><br />Just for starters, there's the facial expression, tone of voice and other gestures when the patient relates symptoms.<br /><br />Then there's the stuff that they are not going to tell you unless they trust you. Like the chronic pain patient who finally revealed that her husband was forcing her to engage in very distressing sexual activities.<br /><br />Finally there's is the effect on the patient that comes from the personal relationship between you. That influences everything from how well they comply with treatment to intangibles that come from expectation and caring and are probably in the field of psychoneuroendocrinology.<br /><br />I use 95% of my knowledge for the 5% of the time that things are simply not what they seem or are not out of the book. <br /><br />A computer that wins at Jeopardy does not worry me. Now a computer that wins at Go, well that may be another matter.Joseph P Arpaia, MDhttp://www.jparpaiamd.comnoreply@blogger.com