Fully-automatic robot dentist performs first human procedure

Re:Fully-automatic robot dentist performs first human procedure by whimsicalism on Thursday August 01, 2024 @02:22PM (#41131975)

Unlike the other comment defending current medical practice, this one I absolutely agree with. I do not think that physician salaries are the major drivers of healthcare cost. I do think that occupational licensing reform would help bring down cost, but agree it is only a relatively small factor.

However I do think that in the process of engaging in wage protectionism (and there is absolutely no question that doctors do this) there is a ton of consumer surplus that is being lost and not captured by either patient or provider. For instance, in the case of the melanoma AI, that is a casualty of the wage protectionism (+ medical conservatism + FDA failure) - the value there isn't being captured by doctors, it is just disappearing into thin air and tons more people will just have undiagnosed melanomas.

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Re:Fully-automatic robot dentist performs first human procedure by SkyPuncher on Thursday August 01, 2024 @09:16PM (#41135278)

> I do think that occupational licensing reform would help bring down cost

I actually think this is the only way to bring costs down. Most providers, equals more competition. More competition leads to innovation and all around better outcomes.

Interestingly, a lot of states are starting to express their frustration with physician supply shortages by expanding rights for NPs and PAs. I think over the next 20 years, we're going to see MD/DO roles transition to largely supervisory roles with NPs and PAs doing most of the work. Much more akin to manager/IC type of roles we see in STEM type fields.

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