By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    learn to recognize and treat yeast infections
    Most Commonly Asked Questions About Yeast Infections
    November 17, 2021
    Advanced lung cancer diagnosis systems used by doctors
    Advanced Lung Cancer Diagnosis Systems Used by Doctors
    March 6, 2022
    The Top Benefits of a Wearable Blood Pressure Monitor Watch
    The Top Benefits of a Wearable Blood Pressure Monitor Watch
    June 13, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    July 31, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Soaring Medical Costs Pinned on Medical Devices
    June 7, 2011
    Debt Ceiling Negotiations on Health Care are Mere Cost Shifting
    July 15, 2011
    Is Kathleen Sebelius Listening to the NCPA?
    August 29, 2011
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Are Decision Support Tools Turning Doctors into Idiots?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Social Media > Are Decision Support Tools Turning Doctors into Idiots?
eHealthSocial MediaTechnology

Are Decision Support Tools Turning Doctors into Idiots?

DavidEWilliams
DavidEWilliams
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

A HealthLeaders article by Gienna Shaw notes that some physicians are reluctant to use computerized decision support (CDS) tools because they fear losing the respect of patients and colleagues. There’s some evidence to support this concern:

In one [study], even tech-savvy undergraduate and graduate computer science students preferred physicians who rely on intuition instead of computer aids.

A HealthLeaders article by Gienna Shaw notes that some physicians are reluctant to use computerized decision support (CDS) tools because they fear losing the respect of patients and colleagues. There’s some evidence to support this concern:

In one [study], even tech-savvy undergraduate and graduate computer science students preferred physicians who rely on intuition instead of computer aids.

More Read

debunking-myths-3.png
Debunking Digital Patient Recruitment Myths for Clinical Trials: Myth #1
Words to Avoid in Your Medical Marketing Communication
Why Digital Marketing Is Your Best Bet for Recruiting Patients with Rare Conditions for Clinical Trials
Making Health Addictive: Make It About Life
If It’s Unnecessary, Who Cares Which Stent Is Better?

“Patients object when they ask their doctor a question and then she or he immediately types in the question into their laptop and then reads back the answer. It gives patients the feeling that they just paid a $25 copay to have someone Google something for them,” [study author James] Wolf says.

Shaw argues that this is a transient phenomenon in any case because soon everyone will use CDS as payers demand it and the tools get built in to electronic medical records in a way that’s invisible to patients. She’s probably right, but she’s sparked some interesting thoughts.

I prefer physicians who uses sophisticated decision support tools such as SimulConsult, which allows physicians to extend their expert knowledge to make differential diagnoses of rare conditions that even excellent, experienced specialists may see rarely in the course of a career. Doctors are trained to see horses, but there are a lot of zebras out there that are being missed as a result.

Other point of care information tools, such as UpToDate are terrific for keeping current with the latest knowledge. I’m always happy for a doctor to use UpToDate to confirm what he already knows or to find out if there are new developments.

I’ve been favorably disposed toward computerized decision support ever since a summer job at a VA hospital 30 years ago where I programmed an early tool in MUMPS on a DEC PDP 11/34. Yet I can understand where Wolf’s skeptical computer science students are coming from based on my own experience with computerized tools. I’m not a doctor so I can’t relate these directly to medicine, but here are a couple of my own observations for what they’re worth:

  • I love using my GPS when visiting new places and to find shortcuts. It’s great because it lets me explore new places I would have hesitated to drive to in the past. But excessive reliance on the GPS may have dulled my map reading ability, sense of direction, and ability to learn new routes. I’ll admit that I sometimes end up taking a less optimal route just because the GPS suggests it.
  • In the olden days doing research required some thought as to the best way to frame the question, what data sources to pursue and the most promising, efficient way to find information. Now the easiest thing to do is usually to type whatever the question is in to Google and see what pops up first. I still know how to go well beyond that but it’s a skill that seems to be eroding.

These tools tend to level the playing field, bring up low performers and reduce costs. The best professionals –in health care or any field– are the ones who can build from the easily available knowledge and add something differentiated on top.

There may be some doctors who really are just typing questions in to Google and reading out the results –although even there they are likely adding value by drawing on their training and experience. The good news is that routine tasks can now be performed by less expensive people or machines. The problems that remain are tougher, which gives ample opportunity for medical experts to earn their keep by applying human judgment that takes into account all that the decision support system can tell them –and then goes beyond.

 


TAGGED:decision support tools
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025
Telemedicine Apps
Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
Health
July 20, 2025

You Might also Like

Doximity: Professional Network for Physicians (transcript)

March 7, 2012

Repairing Vision with the Help of Technology

February 15, 2014

Insituvue To Present X-Ray Technology At OneMedForum NY 2011

April 30, 2011
BYOD and healthcare
eHealthHospital AdministrationMedical RecordsMobile HealthPolicy & LawTechnology

Prioritizing Security in the Era of Healthcare BYOD

November 24, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?