Eric Topol Quotes

“Eventually, doctors will adopt AI and algorithms as their work partners. This leveling of the medical knowledge landscape will ultimately lead to a new premium: to find and train doctors who have the highest level of emotional intelligence.”

“Perhaps less pernicious but still worrisome is reliance on “wellness” programs, which most medium to large employers in the United States have, despite the fact that, overall, they have not been validated to promote health outcomes. Typically, a wellness program combines step counting, weight and blood pressure readings, and cholesterol lab tests, as well as some incentive for employees to participate (such as a surcharge on an employee’s contribution to the cost of insurance).

But wellness is poorly defined, and the cost effectiveness of such strategies has been seriously questioned.50 One way such programs could be improved, however, is through the use of virtual medical coaches, which could gather and make use of far more granular and deeper information about each individual.”

“Retrospective studies are well suited for generating a hypothesis, then the hypothesis can be tested prospectively and supported, especially when independently replicated.”

“The greatest opportunity offered by AI is not reducing errors or workloads, or even curing cancer: it is the opportunity to restore the precious and time-honored connection and trust — the human touch — between patients and doctors.

Not only would we have more time to come together, enabling far deeper communication and compassion, but also we would be able to revamp how we select and train doctors.”

“The greatest opportunity offered by AI is not reducing errors or workloads, or even curing cancer: it is the opportunity to restore the precious and time-honored connection and trust.”

“The promise of artificial intelligence in medicine is to provide composite, panoramic views of individuals’ medical data; to improve decision making; to avoid errors such as misdiagnosis and unnecessary procedures; to help in the ordering and interpretation of appropriate tests; and to recommend treatment.”

“The sugar industry has promoted the idea that a calorie is a calorie, and that eating a calorie’s worth of sweets is no more likely to make someone obese than any other food.”

“The Mediterranean diet is the best backed-up diet we have. That diet has consistently been shown to be a winner.”

“In other words, consider the new findings null and void unless you are thoroughly convinced that the evidence is compelling.”

“Medicine is remarkably conservative to the point of being properly characterized as sclerotic, even ossified.”

“As Eisenstein affirmed, the impact of books to alter the master-apprentice traditional relationship was quite clear, as people could instruct themselves primarily from books with a minimum of outside help and cut the bonds of subordination which kept pupils and apprentices under the tutelage of a given master.”

“Consumers find it easier to discuss costs with their pharmacist than to have to deal with their doctors.”

“David Cutler wrote in MIT Technology Review, “the single most unused person in health care” is the patient.”

“Eventually, each individual will not only own their data, but it will be secured in a personal cloud or system, with the owner granting rights for others to access. Now that’s a flip.”

“Half of American physicians are over age fifty-five, far removed from digital native status (under age 30) and any propensity for adopting little wireless devices for their practice of medicine.”

“In 2011, there were over eighty-five million computerized tomography (CT) scans and nineteen million nuclear imaging tests performed in the United States. How many of these millions of patients do you think had their radiation dose measured or discussed with them before the scan was performed?”

“In the 1700s, the preeminent economist Adam Smith actually wrote The Wealth of Nations in a coffeehouse, after having repeatedly circulated drafts for input among the regulars there.”

“Intel Healthcare survey of 12,002 people from eight countries showed that more than 76 percent were willing to share health data anonymously.”

“Interestingly, the propensity for sharing was more likely outside the United States (especially high in India and Indonesia), was highest among those with higher income, and was increased when associated with potential for research to help others or reduction in their health care costs.”

“It may just mean that the best way to cut the ever-increasing costs of health care around the world will be to provide cheap smartphones with Internet service to those who otherwise could not afford to buy them.”

“It took ten years and $5 billion to sequence the first human genome, and now it takes less than twenty-four hours and costs less than $1,500.”

“It’s hard for most of us to accept that we are nine parts microbe and only one part human, at least as far as a count of our cells goes.”

“Medical harm as one of the top three killers in the United States.”

“Presently, there are just over one hundred medications that the Food and Drug Administration labels as having an important, known DNA interaction.”

“Second major driver of open knowledge has emerged. These are MOOCs (massive open online courses), which broadcast lectures to tens of thousands of people who have an Internet connection and want to sign up.”

“Statins, particularly potent ones, induce diabetes in at least 1 of 200 individuals treated.”

“The average person is projected to have between six and seven connected devices by 2020.”

“The Hippocratic Oath is deadly silent on communication between doctor and patient relevant to the patient’s treatment.”

“The idea of going down to your doctor’s office is going to feel as foreign as going to the video store.”

“There are over six thousand prescription drugs, but we only have pharmacogenomic information for just over one hundred.”