WebMD
Doctors Significantly Better Than Google, According To New Research
Symptom-checkers like WebMD made the wrong diagnosis in two out of every three cases.
In a head-to-head comparison, human doctors with access to the same information about medical history and symptoms as was put into a symptom checker got the diagnosis right 72 percent of the time, compared to 34 percent for the apps.
Doctors are much better than symptom-checker programs at reaching a correct diagnosis, though the humans are not perfect and might benefit from using algorithms to supplement their skills, a small study suggests.
In a head-to-head comparison, human doctors with access to the same information about medical history and symptoms as was put into a symptom checker got the diagnosis right 72 percent of the time, compared to 34 percent for the apps.
The 23 online symptom checkers, some accessed via websites and others available as apps, included those offered by Web MD and the Mayo Clinic in the U.S. and the Isabel Symptom Checker in the U.K.
“The current symptom checkers, I was not surprised do not outperform doctors,” said senior author Dr. Ateev Mehrotra of Harvard Medical School in Boston.
But in reality computers and human doctors may both be involved in a diagnosis, rather than pitted against each other, Mehrotra told Reuters Health.
The researchers used a web platform called Human Dx to distribute 45 clinical vignettes – sets of medical history and symptom information – to 234 physicians. Doctors could not do a physical examination on the hypothetical patient or run tests, they had only the information provided.
Fifteen vignettes described acute conditions, 15 were moderately serious and 15 required low-levels of care. Most described commonly diagnosed conditions, while 19 described uncommon conditions. Doctors submitted their answers as free text responses with potential diagnoses ranked in order of likelihood.
Compared to putting the same information into symptom checkers, physicians ranked the correct diagnosis first more often for every case.
Doctors also got it right more often for the more serious conditions and the more uncommon diagnoses, while computer algorithms were better at spotting less serious conditions and more common diagnoses, according to the results published in a research letter in JAMA Internal Medicine.
“In medical school, we are taught to consider broad differential diagnoses that include rare conditions, and to consider life-threatening diagnoses,” said Dr. Andrew M. Fine of Boston Children’s Hospital, who was not part of the new study. “National board exams also assess our abilities to recognize rare and ‘can’t miss’ diagnoses, so perhaps the clinicians have been conditioned to look for these diagnoses,” he said.
“Physicians do get it wrong 10 to 15 percent of the time, so maybe if computers were augmenting them the outcome would be better,” Mehrotra said.
“In a real-world setting, I could envision MD plus algorithm vs MD alone,” Fine told Reuters Health by email. “The algorithms will rely on a clinician to input physical exam findings in a real-world setting, and so the computer algorithm alone could not go head to head with a clinician.”
Computers may be better suited to amend or reorder diagnoses based on new information in certain settings, like the emergency room, he added.
“Patients need to know that most (symptom checkers) have limited accuracy, and should not be considered a substitute for a history and physical examination by a healthcare provider,” said Dr. Leslie J. Bisson of the University at Buffalo department of orthopedics in Amherst, New York, who was not part of the new study.
Avocado Health Benefits: The World’s Most Perfect Food?
Did you know that the avocado has been called the world’s most perfect food and has many health benefits?
It has achieved this distinction because many nutritionists claim it not only contains everything a person needs to survive — but it has also been found to contribute to the prevention and control of Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions.
The avocado (Persea gratissima or P. americana) originated in Puebla, Mexico and its earliest use dates back to 10,000 years B.C. Since AD 900, the avocado tree has been cultivated and grown in Central and South America. In the 19th century, the avocado made its entry into California, and has since become a very successful commercial crop. Ninety-five percent (95%) of U.S. avocados are gown in Southern California.
The avocado, also called the alligator pear, is a high-fiber, sodium- and cholesterol-free food that provides nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, is rich in healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (such as omega-3 fatty acids), vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate) — as well as potassium.
Foods naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as avocados, are widely acknowledged as the secret to a healthy heart, a brilliant brain and eagle eyes.
Dr. Daniel G. Amen, a clinical neuroscientist, psychiatrist, brain-imaging expert and author of the New York Times bestseller Change Your Brain, Change Your Life counts avocados as one of the top brain-healthy foods that can help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease.
That’s not only because of the avocado’s health benefits omega-3 fatty acid content but also its…
Vitamin E content — An international journal called Alzheimer’s Disease and Associated Disorders, reported its findings from years of clinical trials — high doses of Vitamin E can neutralize free radicals and the buildup of proteins to reverse the memory loss in Alzheimer’s patients; reverse symptoms of Alzheimer’s in the early stages and retard the progression of the disease;
Folate content — helps to prevent the formation of tangled nerve fibers associated with Alzheimer’s.
The virtues and benefits of the avocado are too numerous to mention.
But Here Are Just a Few More Avocado Health Benefits That Its Nutritional Profile Provides:
- Monounsaturated Fats — These types of fats help control triglycerides in the bloodstream, lower blood cholesterol and control diabetes.
- Folate — This water-soluble B vitamin promotes healthy cell and tissue development. According to the National Institute of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements, “This is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth such as infancy and pregnancy. Folate is also essential for metabolism of homocysteine and helps maintain normal levels of this amino acid.”
- Lutein — This is a carotenoid (a natural pigment) that protects against cataracts and certain types of cancer, and reduces the risk of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in adults 65 years of age and older. Avocados contain 3 or more times as much lutein as found in other common vegetables and fruits.
- Oleic acid and Potassium — Both of these nutrients also help in lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of high blood pressure.
You can add these avocado benefits to your diet in many ways:
- The easiest way is to cut the avocado in half and sprinkle it with herbal seasoning or maple syrup.
- Chop the avocado and add it to a salad, or use it as a topping or side garnish for soup.
- Mash an avocado and spread it on bread or a bagel (in place of butter or cream cheese).
- Cut an avocado in half and fill the little hollow (left after you remove the pit) with your favorite healthy topping such as herbed rice or couscous.
- Make an avocado dressing or the crowd-pleasing guacamole dip to add flavor to raw or steamed vegetables. You can easily find many avocado recipes online.
Blended with fruit, avocados make a rich and delicious snack, side dish or dessert — and produces highly-nutritious baby food which delivers “good fat” for baby’s brain and physical development.
Before you indulge in avocados to your heart’s content, however, remember that they have lots of calories because of their fat content. According to WebMD, “A medium-sized avocado contains 30 grams of fat, as much as a quarter-pound burger”.
That’s why diet experts have long urged Americans to go easy on avocados in favor of less fatty fruits and vegetables. But now nutritionists are taking another look.
They’re finding that most of the fat in an avocado is monounsaturated — the “good” kind that actually lowers cholesterol levels. Thanks to this new understanding, the U.S. government recently revised its official nutrition guidelines to urge Americans to eat more avocados.
Source: http://csglobe.com
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