Re:Deep learning algorithm diagnoses skin cancer as well as ...
by notahacker on Wednesday January 25, 2017 @08:56PM
(#13488091)
I'm pretty sure the kind of AI actually discussed in the article is only going to be a good thing for doctors - even the pretty mediocre ones - by sending them more work rather than less.
Person checks funny looking mole on smartphone app, app with intentionally conservative algorithm says there's some risk it might be a melanoma, dermatologist gets to have a proper look at it in three dimensions (and a second opinion from the medical grade version of the ML app). Result: more people visit doctors over issues that never bothered them that much and the doctor gets assistance with their diagnosis.
And of course some of those people that wouldn't have bothered visiting the doctor under the old system actually do turn out to have a melanoma and the early diagnosis significantly improves their survival chances.
Person checks funny looking mole on smartphone app, app with intentionally conservative algorithm says there's some risk it might be a melanoma, dermatologist gets to have a proper look at it in three dimensions (and a second opinion from the medical grade version of the ML app). Result: more people visit doctors over issues that never bothered them that much and the doctor gets assistance with their diagnosis.
And of course some of those people that wouldn't have bothered visiting the doctor under the old system actually do turn out to have a melanoma and the early diagnosis significantly improves their survival chances.