The Patient Will See You Now : The Future of Medicine Is in Your Hands

A trip to the doctor is almost a guarantee of misery. You'll make an appointment months in advance. You'll probably wait for several hours until you hear "the doctor will see you now"—but only for fifteen minutes! Then you'll wait even longer for lab tests, the results of which you'll likely never see, unless they indicate further (and more invasive) tests, most of which will probably prove unnecessary (much like physicals themselves). And your bill will be astronomical. In __The Patient Will See You Now__, Eric Topol, one of the nation’s top physicians, shows why medicine does not have to be that way. Instead, you could use your smartphone to get rapid test results from one drop of blood, monitor your vital signs both day and night, and use an artificially intelligent algorithm to receive a diagnosis without having to see a doctor, all at a small fraction of the cost imposed by our modern healthcare system. The change is powered by what Topol calls medicine's "Gutenberg moment." Much as the printing press took learning out of the hands of a priestly class, the mobile internet is doing the same for medicine, giving us unprecedented control over our healthcare. With smartphones in hand, we are no longer beholden to an impersonal and paternalistic system in which "doctor knows best." Medicine has been digitized, Topol argues; now it will be democratized. Computers will replace physicians for many diagnostic tasks, citizen science will give rise to citizen medicine, and enormous data sets will give us new means to attack conditions that have long been incurable. Massive, open, online medicine, where diagnostics are done by Facebook-like comparisons of medical profiles, will enable real-time, real-world research on massive populations. There's no doubt the path forward will be complicated: the medical establishment will resist these changes, and digitized medicine inevitably raises serious issues surrounding privacy. Nevertheless, the result—better, cheaper, and more human health care—will be worth it. Provocative and engrossing, __The Patient Will See You Now__ is essential reading for anyone who thinks they deserve better health care. That is, for all of us. In The Patient Will See You Now, Eric Topol, One Of The Nation's Top Physicians, Examines What He Calls Medicine's Gutenberg Moment. Much As The Printing Press Liberated Knowledge From The Control Of An Elite Class, New Technology--from The Smartphone To Machine Learning--is Poised To Democratize Medicine. In This New Era, Patients Will Control Their Data And Be Emancipated From A Paternalistic Medical Regime In Which The Doctor Knows Best. Mobile Phones, Apps, And Attachments Will Literally Put The Lab And The Icu In Our Pockets. Computers Will Replace Physicians For Many Diagnostic Tasks, And Enormous Data Sets Will Give Us New Means To Attack Conditions That Have Long Been Incurable. In Spite Of These Benefits, The Path Forward Will Be Complicated: Some In The Medical Establishment Will Resist These Changes, And Digitized Medicine Will Raise Serious Issues Surrounding Privacy. Nevertheless, The Result--better, Cheaper, And More Humane Health Care For All--will Be Worth It. The Patient Will See You Now Is Essential Reading For Anyone Who Thinks They Deserve Better Health Care. That Is, For All Of Us.-- In The Patient Will See You Now, Eric Topol, One Of The Nation's Top Physicians, Examines What He Calls Medicine's Gutenberg Moment--much As The Printing Press Took Learning Out Of The Hands Of A Priestly Class, The Internet Is Doing The Same For Medicine, Giving Us Unprecedented Control Over Our Healthcare. With Smartphones In Hand, We Are No Longer Beholden To An Impersonal And Paternalistic Medical System. Medicine Has Been Digitized, Topol Argues, Now It's Time For It To Be Democratized. Provocative And Engrossing, The Patient Will See You Now Is About All That Lies Ahead In A World Of Digital, Democratic Medicine, Including Fair Discussion Of A Range Of Potential Downsides, From Privacy Violations To Intransigence On The Part Of The Medical Powers That Be. Indeed, Though Many In The Medical Establishment Will Resist Topol's Vision, He Argues Convincingly That Medicine Has Been Authoritarian For Far Too Long, And That Not Changing The Course Of Medicine Will Incur Steep Costs For Us All. It's Time To Put The Tools Of Medicine, And The Power That Goes With Them, Into The Hands Of The People-- Medicine Turned Upside Down -- Eminence-based Medicine -- A Precedent For Momentous Change -- Angelina Jolie : My Choice -- My Gis -- My Lab Tests And Scans -- My Records And Meds -- My Costs -- My (smartphone) Doctor -- The Edifice Complex -- Open Sesame -- Secure Vs. Cure -- Predicting And Preempting Disease -- Flattening The Earth -- The Emancipated Consumer. Eric Topol. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. The essential guide by one of America's leading doctors to how digital technology enables all of us to take charge of our health A trip to the doctor is almost a guarantee of misery. You'll make an appointment months in advance. You'll probably wait for several hours until you hear'the doctor will see you now'-but only for fifteen minutes! Then you'll wait even longer for lab tests, the results of which you'll likely never see, unless they indicate further (and more invasive) tests, most of which will probably prove unnecessary (much like physicals themselves). And your bill will be astronomical. In The Patient Will See You Now, Eric Topol, one of the nation's top physicians, shows why medicine does not have to be that way. Instead, you could use your smartphone to get rapid test results from one drop of blood, monitor your vital signs both day and night, and use an artificially intelligent algorithm to receive a diagnosis without having to see a doctor, all at a small fraction of the cost imposed by our modern healthcare system. The change is powered by what Topol calls medicine's'Gutenberg moment.'Much as the printing press took learning out of the hands of a priestly class, the mobile internet is doing the same for medicine, giving us unprecedented control over our healthcare. With smartphones in hand, we are no longer beholden to an impersonal and paternalistic system in which'doctor knows best.'Medicine has been digitized, Topol argues; now it will be democratized. Computers will replace physicians for many diagnostic tasks, citizen science will give rise to citizen medicine, and enormous data sets will give us new means to attack conditions that have long been incurable. Massive, open, online medicine, where diagnostics are done by Facebook-like comparisons of medical profiles, will enable real-time, real-world research on massive populations. There's no doubt the path forward will be complicated: the medical establishment will resist these changes, and digitized medicine inevitably raises serious issues surrounding privacy. Nevertheless, the result-better, cheaper, and more human health care-will be worth it. Provocative and engrossing, The Patient Will See You Now is essential reading for anyone who thinks they deserve better health care. That is, for all of us. "In The Patient Will See You Now, Eric Topol, one of the nation's top physicians, examines what he calls medicine's Gutenberg moment--much as the printing press took learning out of the hands of a priestly class, the internet is doing the same for medicine, giving us unprecedented control over our healthcare. With smartphones in hand, we are no longer beholden to an impersonal and paternalistic medical system. Medicine has been digitized, Topol argues, now it's time for it to be democratized. Provocative and engrossing, The Patient Will See You Now is about all that lies ahead in a world of digital, democratic medicine, including fair discussion of a range of potential downsides, from privacy violations to intransigence on the part of the medical powers that be. Indeed, though many in the medical establishment will resist Topol's vision, he argues convincingly that medicine has been authoritarian for far too long, and that not changing the course of medicine will incur steep costs for us all. It's time to put the tools of medicine, and the power that goes with them, into the hands of the people"-- Provided by publisher