Team by team, reporters baffled, trumped, tethered, cropped
Look at that low plane, fine, then
Uh-oh, overflow, population, common group
But it'll do, save yourself, serve yourself
World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed
Tell me with the Rapture and the reverent in the right, right
You vitriolic, patriotic, slam fight, bright light
Feeling pretty psyched
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine
- R.E.M.
I always enjoy people who predict the end of doctors. Clearly, they have never been sick.
So I have an idea for Mr. Vinod Khosla who recently predicted that doctors cannot compete against machines. After all, he appears fit and certainly we all wish him continuing good health.
If Mr. Khosla, a venture capitalist billionaire, truly stands by his prediction, he should be the first to take the data-driven patient care vow. Start today. After all, there is enough data-driven resources for Mr. Khosla available to provide his health care: phenomenal computer power, thousands and thousands of discrete fields, zettabytes of data points, every kind of algorithm imaginable. This is an opportunity for serious leadership!
Go ahead and pull the trigger. Use all that data out there to replace most physicians by a computer as you encounter the vagaries of aging and (dare I say it) mortality.
Take the pledge. Be an example. The moment is now. Practice what you preach.
There's just one small complication, though.
You have to stick with it.
-Wes
If he uses 80% of his personal wealth to prove his points, there may be some credibility.
ReplyDeleteBut there are going to be some big changes as a result of all the personal med tracking we are going to be able to do with tiny electronic gizmos. It will drive down costs, provide more access, and improve outcomes.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that the algorithms will be written based upon randomized clinical trials like the COURAGE trial where 30,000 patients are screened to find a total of 3,000 with 30% crossing over to PCI. This proves that medical treatment is equal to intervention.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, I doubt that the billionaire will take two anti-anginals before having a stent placed in his 99% stenosed proximal RCA. His brilliant technology will be for the unwashed masses.
This is where we are headed. The ACC probably has started writing the code which will be licensed to HHS for a recurring fee which will replace the dues of current members.
It may improve access, yield better outcomes and drive down costs, but who will be liable for bad outcomes and unintended harms? Will the Machine have a license? Insurance?
ReplyDelete