Internet users who consult Web over live MDs for self-diagnosis conclude the worst
December 3rd, 2008
“A new study by Microsoft researchers suggests that persons who consult the Internet for self-diagnosis of medical conditions typically end up with the wrong conclusions. The report is the first to take a systematic look at “cyberchondria,” the practice of leaping to dire conclusions while researching health matters online, according to Eric Horvitz, an artificial intelligence researcher at Microsoft. Many people, he said, treat search engines as if they can answer questions like a human expert. Microsoft researchers note that they did not intend to send the message that people should completely ignore medical symptoms. But they do need to consider lesser illnesses as well as more deadly ones if they search online. “People tend to look at just the first couple results,” Horvitz said.”
My point is that the Internet will never be a physician. Microsoft has clearly stated that they are going to face difficulties in developing intelligent search engines that will resolve internet search patterns letting them look for at the right places; they want to enhance the actual search. But the real question is the following: Is enough to simply enhance the actual search to provide valid results for users? The short answer is no, and the guys at Miscrosoft are honest enough to admit it. At Your TeleDoctor we are tackling the same problem, but instead of leading into a very hazardeous route, we prefer to use the internet for what it is for: An way to enhance communications and to add value to healthcare consumers by offering real services through this medium, remotely. We add a missing element to the value chain. People will keep looking for health information online, because it is a more convienient way to verify health issues and also a faster way as medicine is not an exact science and will never be. In the other hand, they want a more convinient way to confirm this information with a qualified physician.