Technology

Will IBM’s Supercomputer Soon Diagnose Your Ailments?

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (The Blaze/AP) –Would you trust a computer to diagnose your medical problem? What if it were a supercomputer that beat out the Jeopardy superstar Ken Jennings?

Watson and Wellpoint Together Could Make a Dynamic Duo for Healthcare

Although IBM’s supercomputer Watson may not completely replace a doctor’s diagnosis, it will soon be helping some of them diagnose and choose among treatment options and medicines. Experts say this will help give patients confidence in their doctor’s decisions.

Watson will be combined with WellPoint Inc., which has 34.2 million members, this year, integrating Watson’s lightning speed and deep health care database into its existing patient information.

The WellPoint application will combine data from three sources: a patient’s chart and electronic records that a doctor or hospital has, the insurance company’s history of medicines and treatments, and Watson’s huge library of textbooks and medical journals.

IBM says the computer can then sift through it all and answer a question in moments, providing several possible diagnoses or treatments, ranked in order of the computer’s confidence, along with the basis for its answer.

“Imagine having the ability within three seconds to look through all of that information, to have it be up to date, scientifically presented to you, and based on that patients‘ medical needs at the moment you’re caring for that patient,” said WellPoint’s chief medical officer, Dr. Sam Nussbaum.

“This very much fits into the sweet spot of what we envisioned for the applications of Watson,” said Manoj Saxena, general manager of an IBM division looking at how the computer can be marketed.

Lori Beer, an executive vice president at Indianapolis-based WellPoint, agreed.

“It’s really a game-changer in health care,” she said.

Watch IBM industry experts explain the benefit of using Watson in healthcare:

Saxena said the WellPoint application would likely be accessed from an ordinary computer or hand-held device.

Beer said patients needn’t worry that Watson will be used to help insurers deny benefits.

“We‘re really trying to bring providers a tool that’s successful, that helps drive better outcomes, which is how we want to reimburse physicians in the future,” Beer said.

Nussbaum said a pilot program will be rolled out early next year at several cancer centers, academic medical centers and oncology practices.

WellPoint is the nation’s largest publicly traded health insurer based on enrollment. It operates Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in 14 states, including New York and California.

Neither party would say how much Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM is being paid. Saxena said it’s the first money Watson has earned for the company; the $1 million it won on “Jeopardy!” earlier this year was given to charity.

Care to know just how Watson answers a question? Watch:

Watson’s next jobs will probably also be in health care, but financial services and public safety applications are on the horizon, Saxena said.

Comments (14)

  • HAPPYRWE
    Posted on September 13, 2011 at 2:30pm

    Depends on who is programming the information… There is a bio-feedback machine company that has been around for a while it is called ZYTO. Reads your body through a galvanized skin hand cradle and assess ailments, tells what drugs or vitamins have been taken, offers solutions to the ailment. Any medical providers should look into it. EVOX is their EMDR/ RET machine that helps with mental health problems. My goal is to one day acquire one and help trauma victims, abused children and anyone who needs help to feel normal again.

    Usually if the media is touting some amazing new invention there are global elitists behind it..so I don’t know how much I trust Watson…….

    Report Post » HAPPYRWE  
  • Liberalismsamentaldisorder
    Posted on September 13, 2011 at 10:28am

    There is potential for good here, but clearly the potential for “unintended consequences” is very, very high. I hope we proceed with caution.

    Report Post »  
    • MT_Headed
      Posted on September 13, 2011 at 12:40pm

      You might end up with your leg amputated when all you needed was a Breathalyzer…

      Report Post »  
    • LastAmerican
      Posted on September 14, 2011 at 8:57am

      You mean you might get a breathalyzer when what you really need is an inhaler. Or go home and take a pill.

      Report Post »  
  • louise
    Posted on September 13, 2011 at 8:41am

    I have met a few doctors that have a bed side manner of a computer.

    Report Post » louise  
  • TomFerrari
    Posted on September 13, 2011 at 7:59am

    Hopefully it will do better than the internet.
    There is a general axiom that the internet diagnoses everything as cancer.

    I’ll take my PRIVATE doctor, thank you, very much.

    He knows me and my body from a long term relationship.
    A computer cannot detect a change in attitude, mental alertness, physical appearance, etc., that can only be done with a long term relationship.
    Kinda like if you went to a socialist doctor (like the military used to be – ‘take a number/next doctor=next patient’) – they have never seen you before. All they know is what is on paper and in front of them. Talk about a lot of EXPENSIVE TESTS, and repeated visits ! People will get sent home with aspirin to treat brain tumors, and told they just have an active imagination, when they smell/hear things that aren’t there. Then, its back to the doctor for the same thing. Home with aspirin again. Back to the doctor. Until the CHARTS reflect a trend that can be picked up by a random doctor who happens to take the time to read the entire chart, or, by some mainframe that now has enough data.

    This is just another push to get us to let them put all of our private data on a government computer – a push to allow the government to TAKE OVER healtchare – a push to TRANSFER WEALT to GE and to IBM – both of whom are working on Healtcare technology and “smart grid” technology. Both of whom are waiting at the FRONT TEAT of uncle sam-bama. Waiting to TAKE YOUR MONEY for their bottom line.
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    Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • Watchingtheweasels
      Posted on September 13, 2011 at 1:56pm

      Tom Ferrrari, you’ve nailed it. The practice of medicine is much more than trying to match a list of patient symptoms with a list of diagnoses. While computerized references are helpful in trying to mine medical literature for obscure things, a computer will never satisfactorily be able to handle patients with atypical presentations (such as a toothache that turns out to be a heart attack).

      Report Post »  
    • HAPPYRWE
      Posted on September 13, 2011 at 2:33pm

      Just like a computer, anything can be used for good or evil, we just have to decide the agenda and “proceed with caution” as someone else stated

      Report Post » HAPPYRWE  
    • HAPPYRWE
      Posted on September 13, 2011 at 2:48pm

      But what people forget is that today’s “mainstream” medicine is just over a hundred years old, natural medicine has been around since the beginning of man. We have to combine the two and we have to study everything out ourselves.

      Look at the incredible boom of technology, medicine and intelligence since America was discovered, how can we not contribute it to God and him wanting us to have this knowledge at this time in history. We can‘t dismiss God’s hand in the greatness of America, we just have to repent and correct the wrongs we have done.

      How many other countries have landed on the moon…we are the leaders for a reason so I hope we can realize we have to lead with righteousness.

      I do believe that this machine should not be a federal mandate…

      Report Post » HAPPYRWE  
    • MT_Headed
      Posted on September 14, 2011 at 3:21pm

      Saturday morning breakfast cereal joked about this a while back, It could be nothing…. or it could be cancer

      Report Post »  
  • dizzyinthedark
    Posted on September 13, 2011 at 7:35am

    Okay, so this will recommend to doctors “did you think of this or that….”

    Even if this does suggest to a doctor where to consider a patients problem, they will still have to order tests that could, according to the set parameters, come up negative, but in reality could be what the patient is suffering from.

    I’m not buying into this as being reliable. Isn‘t the fact that doctors went on to ’specialize’ going to be our problem solver? I can‘t tell you how many ’specialized‘ in the field of neurotology I’ve been to in the last few years, but none of them except for one discovered my on-going problem ever since my first surgery to remove a brain tumor. Doctors just need to ‘think outside the box’ for once and consider that just because tests show negative does not mean a patient is lying, or making up their symptoms!

    Sincerely,
    Recovering Just Fine Now

    Report Post » dizzyinthedark  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on September 13, 2011 at 8:03am

      Glad you are doing well, continue to do so, with God’s continued care and comfort.

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • Watchingtheweasels
      Posted on September 13, 2011 at 1:58pm

      Unfortunately, Dizzy, many patients do lie…and much of that lying has to do with trying to obtain narcotics for personal use or for resale on the street.

      Report Post »  

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