Some computer experts think they could – The Next Health Care Revolution, From Dr. Google

So when you show up at the doctor with some set of symptoms, in my ideal world what would happen is that the doctor would type in the symptoms he or she also observes, and it would be matched against the data in this repository. Then this knowledge engine would use best practices, and all the knowledge in the world to give physicians some sort of standardized guidance. This is a generalized form of the checklists that you’re talking about.”

Then Schmidt made clear what was troubling him. “As computer scientists, this is a platform database problem, and we do these very, very well, as a general rule. And it befuddles me why medicine hasn’t organized itself around these platform opportunities.”

Obviously this computer expert has no concept of the complexity of human beings.  We human beings describe the same symptom with different words.  We human beings cannot estimate time.  Sometimes patients exaggerate; patients vary in how they respond to the same stimuli.

Patients rarely present with single problems.  The complexity of our diagnostic tasks cannot be described as a database problem  Patients have psychosocial overlay.  Patients have complicating issues.

When the physician and the patient meet, the physician must use eyes, ears, touch and occasionally smell.  Body language matters.  Facial expressions matter.

Sorry computer guy.  This problem requires humans.  Computers can assist us, but they cannot do our job.  Computers cannot reassure patients.  Computers cannot deliver bad news.  I do not even think that computers can teach patients about their disease.

I love computers.  I love electronic records.  But computers will rarely help us with diagnosis, and then only when the physician filters the inputs.