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1. eterna+(OP)[view] [source] 2025-04-26 12:22:13
Stethoscopes are pretty cheap and versatile. Human doctors in general have lots of senses which they (in some medical systems) use for diagnosis before reaching for lab tests and MRTs.
replies(3): >>bshack+n1 >>BobbyT+Ek1 >>tuator+1N1
2. bshack+n1[view] [source] 2025-04-26 12:36:13
>>eterna+(OP)
If they bother. The vast majority of appointments I’ve had, in recent memory, are the provider typing a bit on their laptop, then sending me to someone else.
replies(3): >>rendaw+89 >>malfis+u91 >>Suppaf+0G5
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3. rendaw+89[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-26 13:40:37
>>bshack+n1
Really? They just tell me it's stress, the prescribe me chinese medicine just in case and send me away.
replies(1): >>samssf+JF
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4. samssf+JF[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-26 17:37:43
>>rendaw+89
Damn, they just tell me I’m getting old and wish me luck.
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5. malfis+u91[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-26 21:32:01
>>bshack+n1
If you don't like your doctor, go to someone else
replies(2): >>BobbyT+Tk1 >>joshle+8j2
6. BobbyT+Ek1[view] [source] 2025-04-26 23:10:29
>>eterna+(OP)
My primary care doctor doesn’t even have an otoscope!

Have no idea how they have such good reviews.

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7. BobbyT+Tk1[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-26 23:12:13
>>malfis+u91
Indeed but a tiring and expensive game when it takes 4-5 tries with experienced specialists to get an actual diagnosis.
replies(1): >>roenxi+Gt1
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8. roenxi+Gt1[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-27 01:14:59
>>BobbyT+Tk1
One of the more exciting AI use-cases is that it should be about competent to handle the conversational parts of diagnosis; it should have read all the studies and so it'll be possible to spend an hour at home talking to an AI and then turn up at the doctor with a checklist of diagnostic work you want them to try.

A shorter amount of expensive time with a consultant is more powerful if there is a solid reference to play with for longer before hand.

replies(1): >>fwip+Av1
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9. fwip+Av1[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-27 01:34:55
>>roenxi+Gt1
AI has a long way to go before it can serve as a trustworthy middleman between research papers and patients.

For instance, even WebMD might waste more time in doctor's offices than it saves, and that's a true, hallucination-free source, written specifically to provide lay-people with understandable information.

replies(1): >>istjoh+0I1
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10. istjoh+0I1[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-27 05:02:59
>>fwip+Av1
This study found that an LLM outperformed doctors "on a standardized rubric of diagnostic performance based on differential diagnosis accuracy, appropriateness of supporting and opposing factors, and next diagnostic evaluation steps, validated and graded via blinded expert consensus."

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle...

replies(1): >>pingou+SV1
11. tuator+1N1[view] [source] 2025-04-27 06:27:35
>>eterna+(OP)
Stethoscopes are an example where tech can help and is helping. Some sounds (a slightly leaky heart valve, say) are subtle and easily missed, especially if there is traffic outside the doctor's surgery or other noise. Even with good earpieces.

A stethoscope with microphone, analog-to-digital conversion, and digital signal processing can separate out heart sounds from lung sounds and amplify each separately, and AI analysis can learn to identify early stage problems that doctors can't yet hear.

Of course the downside of that may be a loss of skill, as we see happening with ECGs. The ECG analysis algorithms are so good now that lots of doctors don't even bother with anything more than a glance at the waveform, they just look at the text the algo provides. Understandable, when you're near the end of a 12-hour shift.

But potentially, AI based home diagnostic kits with these sorts of devices could save doctors' time.

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12. pingou+SV1[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-27 08:37:55
>>istjoh+0I1
This study is about doctors using an LLM and it doesn't seem like it made them significantly more accurate than doctors not using LLM.
replies(1): >>roenxi+y02
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13. roenxi+y02[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-27 09:55:13
>>pingou+SV1
If you look in the discussion section you'll find that wasn't exactly what the study ended up with. I'm looking at the paragraph starting:

> An unexpected secondary result was that the LLM alone performed significantly better than both groups of humans, similar to a recent study with different LLM technology.

They suspected that the clinicians were not prompting it right since the LLM without humans was observed to be outperforming the LLM with skilled operators.

replies(2): >>pingou+ri4 >>fwip+gpe
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14. joshle+8j2[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-27 13:39:43
>>malfis+u91
In some countries like Canada you basically don’t have an option.
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15. pingou+ri4[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-28 10:02:47
>>roenxi+y02
Ah right, very interesting, thank you.
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16. Suppaf+0G5[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-28 19:02:10
>>bshack+n1
I've noticed the last few times I've went, they've just copy and pasted things like my weight and height from previous appointments. My dog gets better treatment at the vet.
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17. fwip+gpe[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-05-01 14:44:23
>>roenxi+y02
Exactly - if even the doctors/clinicians are not "prompting it right," then what are the odds that the layperson is going to get it to behave and give accurate diagnoses, rather than just confirm their pre-existing biases?
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