A recent New York Times article explores the idea of computers and machines potentially outperforming physicians. While the author, health economist and researcher Austin Frakt, ultimately decides computers aren’t going to entirely take over clinical care; there are areas in which machines can augment and support care delivery.
For example, checklists, which Mr. Frakt describes as “a very low tech-type of automation,” have been shown to reduce errors, as they require clinicians to systematically acknowledge and reaffirm the steps in whatever process with which they are engaged.
Additionally, computers have the capability to intake, analyze and synthesize data in a way humans can’t. Mr. Frakt points to IBM Watson’s ability to do just that, and how a number of healthcare organizations including Boston Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York are leveraging Watson’s abilities to improve patient care.
However, one area where technology and machines falter is in the nuances of the human mind. “Healing may rely on more than the mere processing of data,” Mr. Frakt writes. “In some cases, we may lack data, and a physician’s judgment might be the best available guide.”
What’s more, the physician-patient relationship is mightily important in care delivery, and receiving information solely from a machine may be unsettling for many patients, Mr. Frakt suggests.
While algorithms and machinery may complement human care, one will never entirely eliminate the other. “Just because algorithms can assist in making decisions doesn’t mean humans should check out and play no role,” Mr. Frakt writes, adding that clinicians may turn to automation to protect themselves from the risk of human error. Doing so, however, isn’t a guarantee of improved outcomes.
Mr. Frakt concludes, “Some things humans do better than algorithms, but not all things.”
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