We frequently use Google as an efficient tool to do a web search, image search, video search, news search, etc. But a recent study by the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane shows that Google may become an important clinical tool for doctors to correctly diagnose difficult cases.
The study was carried out on a set of 26 complex symptomatic cases by a team of medical experts last year to identify the efficiency of Google. According to the report published at the British Medical Journal, the team then selected 3 - 5 keywords for each case and googled while remaining blind to the correct diagnoses. The results showed that Google found correct diagnoses in 15 out of the 26 selected cases. Though they felt in in some cases … “Google gave the correct diagnosis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis) but we felt that it was not specific enough to be considered correct”.
The study hints to suggest that we may see an end to the misdiagnosis (specially in complex cases despite of having state of the art technology) by physicians who are estimated to carry almost 2 million facts. It was also clearly stated that … “Web based search engines such as Google are becoming the latest tools in clinical medicine, and doctors in training need to become proficient in their use”.
Source: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/rapidpdf/bmj.39003.640567.AEv1
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