Using the development IBM’s “Watson” computer as a peg, the article considers whether we are on the cusp of a major revolution in medical care — and, if so, whether it would be a change for better or worse.
As I write, “When we think of breakthroughs in medicine, we conjure up images of new drugs or new surgeries. … But according to a growing number of observers, the next big thing to hit medical care will be new ways of accumulating, processing, and applying data – revolutionizing medical care the same way Billy Beane and his minions turned baseball into ‘moneyball.’ … They say a range of innovations, from new software to new devices, will transform the way all of us interact with the health-care system – making it easier for us to stay healthy and, when we do get sick, making it easier for medical professionals to treat us. They also imagine the transformation reverberating through the rest of the economy, in ways that may be even more revolutionary.”
A catalyst for this revolution will be health care reform and the pressure it applies on providers to deliver care at lower costs. In theory, this revolution could help professionals deliver better care – and it could help patients to stay healthy, so they never need medical care. It could also transform the health care workforce, by empowering nurses, physician assistants, and other professionals to help meet the demand for services that physicians alone cannot.
But will the revolution really happen? History is littered with examples of such transformations not happening – particularly in health care. And what are the possible downsides? Will insurers use this technology to skimp on care, for example? The article explores these questions, by taking a close-up look at some of the innovations, panning back to see how medical care might already be changing, and then exploring the implications for policy-makers.