ABOUT THIS EPISODE
A real doctor. Licensed, white coat, eight years of school. Once told a patient who got bleach in his eye, and I am quoting this directly, "sounds like you will be fine, take 2 aspirins and call me tomorrow." Then handed him the number for Poison Control, hangs up like he is hanging up on his mother in law, fast, awkward, done talking.
A ROBOT, asked the exact same question, wrote back practically a Hallmark card with a medical license. Apologized. Explained why he probably was not going blind. Gave him seven sentences of real advice. And wished him well, with all the sincerity of a machine that does not actually have feelings.
Guess which one patients preferred. (long pause) Yep. The robot. Welcome, cloud dwellers, to the era where your chatbot has better bedside manner than the guy who spent eight years in medical school and fifteen minutes with you.
This is Behind the digital screen, the podcast where a old medical dr, that would be me, Dr. Qubit, explains technology to normal people without using words that only make sense in a Silicon Valley board meeting or a Zoom call full of people pretending they understand them. Today we are talking about a study, published in one of the most serious medical journals on the planet, that is going to change how you look at your doctor, and at your phone.
