16 min listen
#011 Validation over Valuation: An Oncologist's Battle Against Babylon Health — Dr David Watkins aka @DrMurphy11
#011 Validation over Valuation: An Oncologist's Battle Against Babylon Health — Dr David Watkins aka @DrMurphy11
ratings:
Length:
17 minutes
Released:
May 23, 2020
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Isn't it strange when everyone is raving about something — but you just — don't get it? That's the position Dr David Watkins (@DrMurphy11) found himself in in 2017.
Babylon had launched in the UK and promised to provide the powers of AI and telemedicine to the NHS. Babylon lets you video consult with a doctor, often on the same day. This was slightly controversial, but not compared to its other head.
Babylon had developed a sophisticated chatbot AI. After a game of 20 questions, the chatbot would suggest a diagnosis — although crucially (from a regulatory point of view) it wouldn't diagnose you.
You would then be directed (triaged) to appropriate care. Mild headache and flu-like symptoms? No problem! Stay at home and take paracetamol. One-sided weakness and slurring your words? Call 999 ?
Dr Watkins installed the app and began testing it. The details of this testing are disputed — Babylon who refer to him as a 'troll' claim that he ran 2400 tests, Dr Watkins claims just hundreds.
More insidiously, Dr Watkins began to notice mistakes the chatbot was making — mistakes that no doctor would ever make. In one test, a 59-year old male smoker presents with central chest pain and nausea. Cookie-cutter symptoms of a heart attack, and he is duly warned.
The exact same situation but this time, the patient is a woman—
She is warned of a panic attack.
This week's podcast is the story of Dr Watkin's battle against Babylon Health.*
*Views expressed are those of Dr Watkins'*
This week's episode presents a single side of the story. For context, Babylon have done a lot of good in the world. They've brought affordable healthcare to Rwanda, created a clinical AI fellowship for doctors and generally offer lucrative remote working opportunities.
——————
You can find Dr Watkins on Twitter @DrMurphy11. The title of this podcast episode is adapted from Dr Watkins' talk at the Royal Society of Medicine: "Cowboys and unicorns in #DigitalHealth — why validation is more important than valuation".
You can find me on Twitter @MustafaSultan and subscribe to my newsletter on www.musty.io
Babylon had launched in the UK and promised to provide the powers of AI and telemedicine to the NHS. Babylon lets you video consult with a doctor, often on the same day. This was slightly controversial, but not compared to its other head.
Babylon had developed a sophisticated chatbot AI. After a game of 20 questions, the chatbot would suggest a diagnosis — although crucially (from a regulatory point of view) it wouldn't diagnose you.
You would then be directed (triaged) to appropriate care. Mild headache and flu-like symptoms? No problem! Stay at home and take paracetamol. One-sided weakness and slurring your words? Call 999 ?
Dr Watkins installed the app and began testing it. The details of this testing are disputed — Babylon who refer to him as a 'troll' claim that he ran 2400 tests, Dr Watkins claims just hundreds.
More insidiously, Dr Watkins began to notice mistakes the chatbot was making — mistakes that no doctor would ever make. In one test, a 59-year old male smoker presents with central chest pain and nausea. Cookie-cutter symptoms of a heart attack, and he is duly warned.
The exact same situation but this time, the patient is a woman—
She is warned of a panic attack.
This week's podcast is the story of Dr Watkin's battle against Babylon Health.*
*Views expressed are those of Dr Watkins'*
This week's episode presents a single side of the story. For context, Babylon have done a lot of good in the world. They've brought affordable healthcare to Rwanda, created a clinical AI fellowship for doctors and generally offer lucrative remote working opportunities.
——————
You can find Dr Watkins on Twitter @DrMurphy11. The title of this podcast episode is adapted from Dr Watkins' talk at the Royal Society of Medicine: "Cowboys and unicorns in #DigitalHealth — why validation is more important than valuation".
You can find me on Twitter @MustafaSultan and subscribe to my newsletter on www.musty.io
Released:
May 23, 2020
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
#007 The Logistics of Buying PPE from China — Dr Alisa Pearlstone (NHS Hero Support) by Big Picture Medicine