September 17, 2011
Philippine Hip & Knee Society (PHKS) 1st Annual Convention
Theme: Basic Principles and Techniques in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: Getting It Right the First Time”
Venue: Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila, Ortigas Ave. corner ADB Ave., Quezon City

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV-BFPdfqJU

How to Sit at a Computer
Regular computer users perform 50,000 to 200,000 keystrokes each day. Under certain circumstances and for vulnerable individuals, frequent computer use that involves awkward postures, repetition, and forceful exertions may be related to nerve, muscle, tendon, and ligament damage.

If you use a computer extensively (several hours each day), many experts recommend that you consider proper workstation layout and posture techniques to minimize your risk of developing injuries of the hand/arm, shoulder, neck, and back.

Overuse injuries develop over time, and may set in more quickly if you spend long hours sitting at a computer at home, as well as at work.

Some doctors find new gadgets, apps, and technology fun; some find them confusing; and others want nothing to do with them. Whichever category you fall into, there’s a good chance that some exciting and important new tools will someday be part of your medical life. Here are some that are changing the practice of medicine.

1) Video Consults on Your Smartphone

Using new technology, some doctors — particularly in rural areas — are doing video office visits. A number of companies have sprung up, such as MDLiveCare, that offer consultations via real-time video.

But mobile video is going even a step further. Faster connections over newer cellular networks — commonly called 3G and 4G, respectively, for third-generation and fourth-generation mobile telecommunications technology (3G and 4G refer to the speed of the network the phone is connected with) — also are enabling wider use of mobile video in healthcare.

Andrew Barbash, MD, head of the neurosciences and stroke program at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, uses the free Google Talk application on his smartphone to conduct video consultations with patients and clinicians in the emergency department when he’s on call but not physically at the hospital. “The mobile phone becomes kind of the enabler,” Barbash says.

Joseph Kim, MD, MPH, curator of MedicalSmartphones.com, believes this is just the beginning. “You will see more patients communicating with doctors via telemedicine,” he says.

2) Tablet Computers

Touch-screen tablet computers are creating a new class of totally cool and incredibly useful gadgets and applications that are helping to make life easier for physicians and their patients.

Let’s face it, Apple’s iPad has taken medicine by storm. Research firm Knowledge Networks reported in March 2011 that 27% of physicians in the United States had a tablet-style computer, or about 5 times the general public’s adoption rate. That study didn’t break down tablet usage by platform or model, but healthcare industry analyst Chilmark Research estimated that 22% of all physicians in the United States were using iPads at the end of 2010 (Sharma C. “mHealth in the Enterprise: Trends, Opportunities and Challenges.” Chilmark Research, November 2010).

Tablets in general and the iPad in particular are more than just oversized smartphones without the phone. They have processing power to rival that of desktop computers. Some of the smaller models — the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the BlackBerry PlayBook — fit into the pocket of a lab coat. And they have touch screens.

“Whenever you’re in a remote environment, it’s much easier to draw things up than to try to explain on the phone,” says Kim.

3) Speech Recognition Programs

Iltifat Husain, MD, Editor-in-Chief and founder of the iMedicalApps.com blog and a new graduate of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, is bullish on speech recognition as a breakthrough technology that makes physicians’ lives easier. “I think that doesn’t get enough play,” he says. It’s already easing the transition to electronic medical records (EMRs) by helping physicians document cases and changing medical transcriptionists into higher-skilled editors. Husain says he is looking forward to the day that Nuance Communications comes out with a version of Dragon Medical speech recognition software that supports real-time voice dictation on mobile phones.

“The beauty of real-time mobile speech recognition is that the physician no longer needs a keyboard,” Husain says. He notes that one company, DrChrono, already makes an EMR specifically for the iPad that includes real-time mobile dictation.

4) Handheld Ultrasound Stethoscope

Goodbye to what has been the symbol of physician care for almost 200 years.

“In 2016, doctors aren’t going to be walking around with stethoscopes,” cardiologist Eric Topol, MD, Director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute, Chief Medical Officer of the West Wireless Health Institute in La Jolla, California, and Chief Academic Officer at Scripps Health in San Diego, said at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. “There’s a whole lot better technology coming.”

Topol called the handheld ultrasound the “new stethoscope,” something that will become a must-have device for physicians. In 2009, GE Healthcare introduced the Vscan, an ultrasound visualization device that looks like an oversized cell phone with an attached scanning probe.

The Vscan costs about $8000, but that price is expected to come down as the technology improves. Another company, privately held Mobisante, this year gained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for a similarly priced ultrasound system that runs on a Windows-based Toshiba smartphone.

5) Smart Bandage

The Holter monitor is also on its way out. Topol has called it, “another obsolete technology, soon to be buried.” It just contains too many wires and is uncomfortable to wear. Instead, Topol said, patients with serious chronic ailments such as congestive heart failure ought to be wearing a “smart bandage,” an adhesive patch containing an array of sensors that measure vital signs.

It’s a technology that patients can even take home with them. Wireless transmitters in the bandage send readings either to a patient’s smartphone or an Internet gateway such as an in-home wireless router, creating what’s known as a “body-area network” that keeps constant tabs on people who might otherwise require hospitalization.

6) Unified Communications

Though cell phones are pretty much ubiquitous in society and smartphones have proliferated in hospitals, far too many clinicians haven’t been able to ditch the old-fashioned pager. But some companies are trying to eliminate the need for multiple devices by promoting what they call unified communications.

For years, Vocera has offered wireless voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) phones that send paging, voice, and text messages to portable handsets within a hospital or clinic. So you can get a portable handset that will still page you but also provide other services, including voice and text messages. In the past couple of years, a Sarasota, Florida-based startup called Voalte (pronounced “volt”) has packaged similar technology to run on the user’s own smartphone, with a single phone number for all communications.

7) Remote Medical Devices and Functions via Smartphone

Some software developers have seized the power of the Apple iOS (iPhone) and Google Android operating systems to design apps that effectively turn smartphones into low-cost medical devices, helping to create a new category of mobile diagnostics.

In June 2010, the FDA cleared DiabetesManager from Baltimore-based WellDoc, a blood glucose measuring system that links to a mobile phone app so patients with type 2 diabetes can collect, track, and share readings with health professionals and learn how to better manage their conditions. Three months later, AgaMatrix of Salem, New Hampshire, won premarket approval for its WaveSense Diabetes app for the iPhone that analyzes data from the device maker’s Jazz glucose monitor.

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have even created a lens-free microscope using a $1.50 digital camera sensor that connects to a smartphone to help remote health workers diagnose malaria in developing countries.

Others have created apps that mimic the functionality of a stethoscope by listening to the heartbeat through a smartphone’s microphone, but that approach doesn’t work for everyone, according to Husain.

“People should be careful when using applications like that,” says Husain. “There is a whole host of variables where you can’t use that.” For example, Husain says it is difficult to get an accurate reading on overweight patients without an external stethoscope attachment.

Technology That’s Changing Medical Care

Some other attention-grabbing technologies include:

Automated Medication Adherence

“Smart” pill bottles can emit light and sound when it’s time to take a pill and send automatic alerts to caregivers if the patient skips a dose. That gives physicians a new way to monitor medication adherence in populations with chronic disease. Automated text messages can serve a similar function. This is such a promising area that biotechnology billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, recently purchased Vitality, maker of the GlowCap wireless Internet-connected medication bottlecap.

9) Electronic Reference Tools and Calculators

Mobile medical reference apps, including Medscape’s, have been around for years, but they’re becoming more timely and functional. In April, Canadian mobile software vendor QxMD apparently made history by releasing an update to its Calculate by QxMD app to incorporate new scientific knowledge about the risk for renal failure and the need for dialysis in patients with chronic kidney disease at the same time a Tufts Medical Center researcher publicly presented the evidence.

Husain is a fan of a free medical translator called MediBabble. “This is a terrific app,” he says, noting that it’s particularly useful in international disaster relief. MediBabble is a history-taking and examination application designed to improve the safety and efficiency of care for non-English-speaking patients.

10) Social Networking

Facebook has captured the imagination of the world, claiming 500 million active users, half of whom log in on any given day. You can be sure that plenty of physicians are among those masses. But where do you go when you want to discuss medicine or simply connect with other doctors?

LinkedIn, a business-focused networking site, has at least 100 million users worldwide, but there are several social and professional networking sites just for healthcare professionals, some of which offer secure communications suitable for colleagues who already know each other to discuss specific cases. (Medscape’s discussion boards are popular landing spots for physicians).

For patients, there’s an emerging field called participatory medicine. A group called the Society for Participatory Medicine defines it as “a cooperative model of healthcare that encourages and expects active involvement by all connected parties (patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, etc.) as integral to the full continuum of care.” Patients facing serious health challenges have been flocking to sites such as Organized Wisdom and PatientsLikeMe.

by: Neil Versel

Mobile Phone Use and Stress, Sleep Disturbances, and Symptoms of Depression among Young Adults – A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Background:
Because of the quick development and widespread use of mobile phones, and their vast effect on communication and interactions, it is important to study possible negative health effects of mobile phone exposure. The overall aim of this study was to investigate whether there are associations between psychosocial aspects of mobile phone use and mental health symptoms in a prospective cohort of young adults.

Methods:
The study group consisted of young adults 20–24 years old (n = 4156), who responded to a questionnaire at baseline and 1-year follow-up. Mobile phone exposure variables included frequency of use, but also more qualitative variables: demands on availability, perceived stressfulness of accessibility, being awakened at night by the mobile phone, and personal overuse of the mobile phone. Mental health outcomes included current stress, sleep disorders, and symptoms of depression. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were calculated for cross-sectional and prospective associations between exposure variables and mental health outcomes for men and women separately.

Results:
There were cross-sectional associations between high compared to low mobile phone use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression for the men and women. When excluding respondents reporting mental health symptoms at baseline, high mobile phone use was associated with sleep disturbances and symptoms of depression for the men and symptoms of depression for the women at 1-year follow-up. All qualitative variables had cross-sectional associations with mental health outcomes. In prospective analysis, overuse was associated with stress and sleep disturbances for women, and high accessibility stress was associated with stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression for both men and women.

Conclusions:
High frequency of mobile phone use at baseline was a risk factor for mental health outcomes at 1-year follow-up among the young adults. The risk for reporting mental health symptoms at follow-up was greatest among those who had perceived accessibility via mobile phones to be stressful. Public health prevention strategies focusing on attitudes could include information and advice, helping young adults to set limits for their own and others’ accessibility.

by: Sara Thomée; Annika Härenstam; Mats Hagberg
Posted: 04/19/2011; BMC Public Health. 2011

published   global   comparative  study  on  affordability  and  accessibility  in  higher

education.

Philippines have a 90% literacy rate. If proves that Education is of primary concern

in the  country  Philippines is the largest   English – Speaking  country in the Southeast

Asian region.  English is used as a medium  of instruction in higher education .   Also,

Filipinos are considered one of the most competent English speakers in the world.  It is

known for its highest standard of education, high – caliber education institutions.  The

country is the major exporters of English teachers, nurses, doctors and Skilled workers

abroad.

Apart from competence, cost is also a major consideration in studying .  The culture is

much easy to adopt with.  People are more hospitable and the environment is more open

and less hostile.

Why Philippines?

Philippines is the place to be for foreign students

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”–Confucius

This quote from the famous Chinese philosopher must be true for every student who

wishes to study abroad and attain a winning career. Students should be careful in

choosing which country they will spend their time and money for studying because if they

made a wrong step or move, the journey to success would be difficult for them to take.

The benefits of choosing Philippines

While lots of foreign students are found anywhere in the world—like in US, UK, Germany,

France, Australia, or Japan—No one can ignore studying in the Philippines.

Philippines has one of the best education systems in Asia.

Its is one of the best place for students to study completely in English, at affordable prices

and high quality.

The education system is just so fantastic that Philippines has send hundreds of doctors

and engineers to work in USA, UK , Middle east etc along with other professionals.

Philippines follows the American education system.

For example, Kwon Ka-young, a Korean university student who went to the Philippines last

year to volunteer and study English said: “Studying in the Philippines helped me not only to

improve my English skills but also to become more of a global citizen.” Aside from

Koreans, an increasing number of Americans, Koreans, Taiwanese, Chinese, and other

foreigners also pursue their education in the country.

Why do some 5, 000 foreign students study here in the Philippines? Few countries in Asia

can match the country when it comes to providing quality education and fun at the same

time.

As the world’s 3rd largest English-speaking nation, the Philippines provides huge

knowledge resources, up-to-date instruction, and a multicultural learning atmosphere with

its 93.9% literacy rate. It is home to a number of ISO-certified universities and 275 higher

educational institutions identified as Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development.

There are also several international schools in the Philippines which are on American,

British, German, Chinese, French, and Japanese educational tracks.

The business and accounting schools in the country adhere to the US’ Generally Accepted

Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)

while the engineering and marine schools are included in the APEC Engineer Registry

and International Maritime Organization (IMO) white list. Students are also guaranteed of

getting training from more than 115, 000 teachers with master’s and doctorate degrees in

the Philippines.

Foreign students do not only get the chance of earning excellent education, but they also

find ways of enjoying their stay in the Philippines. After having serious lessons in their

classrooms, they can relax by swimming, surfing, diving, and snorkeling in numerous

pristine beaches anywhere, or unwind in some of the island’s heritage sites like the man-

made rice terraces, marine parks, mountains, underground rivers, and other tourist

hideaways that depict Asian and European architecture. If these are not the places for

them, they can still enjoy hanging out in countless five-star hotels and restaurants,

entertainment shows, shopping malls, and cafes.

The Philippines is known for its people’s hospitality and joyfulness. Visitors everywhere

marvel at the way they are treated in each place they visit. They also enjoy the number of

festivals that are held for every locality which reflects the country’s rich and diverse culture

and traditions. The Korean student Ka-young added: “One of my greatest curiosities in the

Philippines is why Filipino festivals last for a week because usually, Korean festivals take

place for only two or three days. I enjoyed the fiestas mainly the Ati-atihan, where Koreans

and Filipinos all became one by dancing, singing, and even drinking together.”

Studies also show that it is more affordable to study in the Philippines compared with

other countries offering high quality education. It is because a person can live a modest

lifestyle by only spending US$350 to US$500 a month.

Programs for mobile students

To attract foreigners to pursue their education in the Philippines, the government prepared

some programs to suit the students’ needs.

One of these is the ‘Philippine ESL (English as a Second Language) Tour Program,’ in

which the study of English forms part of a structured tour package. Studying English

becomes more exciting and fun through dynamic and creative ways of learning where

participants get to interact, practice, and use English more often in real-life settings thru

games, outdoor activities, excursions, and immersions. Aside from learning the English

language, participants get to see the beautiful sceneries of the Philippine countryside and

immerse with the local culture.

The duration of English courses vary depending on the needs and objectives of the

student. Modules may range from one week to one month depending on the student’s

level of proficiency. Participants can choose among the 21 bi-authorized English language

learning centers spread all over the country.

The government also issued the Executive Order 285 which authorizes the conversion of

tourist visa category to student visa, or gives out a Special Study Permit for those who wish

to enroll in a non-degree course for less than one (1) year.

Aside from these, the Philippines also made the ‘Visa-Upon-Arrival Program’ where tour

groups and individual travelers from the East Asia, particularly from China, can now apply

for a 14-day visa upon their arrival at any Philippine international airport.

WHY PHILIPPINES

WHY STUDY IN THE PHILIPPINES?

Many parents believe that Philippines is the right place for their children to study because it

offers many good reasons for quality education.

MEDIUM FOR LEARNING ENGLISH

* The world’s third largest English-speaking country

* Highest English literacy rate in Asia

* Mode of instruction in all levels of education

* Widely-used language for business, education,communication and trade

CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

* US System of Education

* Quality medical education as recognized by World Health Organization (WHO),

IMED of ECFMG- USA and silimar other bodies.

* Top Universities renowned worldwide

* Integrated problem-based learning approach

* Modern teaching methods with first-rate facilities

AFFORDABILITY

* Affordable overseas degrees and tuition fees

* Economical accommodation and living expenses

* Excellent and comfortable boarding facilities

* Affordable medical and dental expenses

* Inexpensive travel cost

* Student-assisted visa application

CONDUCIVE AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT

* Warmth, graciousness and hospitality of the Filipinos

* Open and stimulating classroom environment

* Solidarity between students and professors

* Dedicated and friendly school staff and faculty members

* Cultural diversity in the society

* Close proximity to other Asian countries

* Improved shipping facilities and services

* Expanded business centers

* Advanced information technology

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GLOBAL GROWTH

* Better opportunities to secure employment and permanent residency in other

developed countries

* Good opportunity to travel around the world

* Opportunities to make significant contributions to your society and to your country

after graduation

* Education gateway to other countries like the United States of America, the United

Kingdom, Canada, and many others

See more: studymdinphilippines.com

MANILA, Apr 14, 2011 (IPS) – In a country where an estimated 4,500 women die every year due to complications during childbirth, the enactment of a reproductive health (RH) policy is said to be a measure that could save lives.

The Catholic Church has been very vocal in its opposition to a RH policy in the country, but not all religious organisations agree.

In a press conference dubbed ‘To Sin or not to Sin: The Views of Other Churches on RH’, representatives from different faith-based organisations expressed their support for the passage of the highly debated House Bill 4244 or the ‘Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2011’ and its Senate counterpart.

“We support the RH Bill because it is pro-life, it is pro-development and it is pro-poor,” said Bishop Efraim Tendero, of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC).

PCEC is the largest network of evangelical Christians in the Philippines and is composed of 25,000 evangelical churches, 66 denominations, and 150 community and mission organisations.

Addressing concerns of the Catholic Church that the bill would promote a “culture of death” by allowing artificial contraceptive methods, Tendero had this to say: “Life begins at fertilisation. Therefore if there is no fertilisation, there is no life yet. The use of artificial contraception is not taking away life because life has not yet started.”

Eduardo V. Manalo, executive minister of Iglesia ni Cristo to the Committee of Population and Family Relations, said that many of society’s worsening ills could be traced to families “growing so large that an increasing number of parents cannot provide the most basic human needs to their families.”

“The Bible states that a parent who does not provide for the needs of his own household is worse than an unbeliever. (I Tim 5:8),” Manalo said. “Since modern methods of contraception – by preventing married couples from having unwanted pregnancies – assist in supporting this Christian principle, we support their use,” according to the statement.

Iglesia ni Cristo is the largest entirely indigenous Christian religious organisation in the Philippines, and the largest independent church in Asia.

Bishop Rodrigo Tano of the Interfaith Partnership for the Promotion of Responsible Parenthood (Interfaith) claimed that if the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) professed to value the dignity of every human person, they should have more respect for human rights.

“To allow the deaths of mothers and babies because of a lack of a national policy is almost criminal,” said Tano, citing figures of maternal and infant deaths in the country.

According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), maternal deaths in the Philippines are one of the highest in the region. An estimated 11 women die every day in the country due to complications during pregnancy – most of these deaths are preventable. The problem is said to be particularly severe within the Muslim communities in Mindanao, where as many 320 mothers died per 100,000 live births according to the UN.

The Philippines has one of Asia’s fasted-growing populations, which is nearing the 100 million mark.

Interfaith is a gathering of various faith-based organisations, whose members include Iglesia ni Cristo, evangelical protestant churches, Roman Catholic individuals, and Muslim groups in Mindanao.

Tano also said that he was disturbed by the use of ambiguous terms, the lack of clarity in medical terms, and claims of the CBCP that there is no relation between population size and poverty.

“We should go by evidence and not by ecclesiastical declarations,” said Tano. “Evidence shows that families are unable to maintain their income, expenditures and savings as their size increases. The incidence of child labour also rises as family size increases.”

“When talking about issues of morality, let us look at the context of the Philippines and the context of the world,” suggested Rommel Linatoc, of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP). The NCCP is a fellowship of 10 Protestant and non-Roman Catholic denominations, and 10 service-oriented organisations in the Philippines. It represents close to 12 million adherents.

Linatoc expressed his support for the bill saying that it would affirm a better quality of life for families and ensure better health for women.

Ernesto Pernia, of the University of the Philippines School of Economics and a representative of Catholics for Reproductive Health (CRH), agreed that there is a morality issue that needed to be addressed.

“Our bishops in CBCP can not say that practicing RH is sinful in the Philippines, but it is not in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Ireland and Italy because Catholics there practice family planning as a matter of course,” Pernia said. “The Catholic Church does not stand in the way of the government promoting or implementing a population policy.”

CRH is an alliance of Filipino Catholics advocating for the passage of the reproductive health bill and fighting for Filipinos’ right to reproductive health services.

Pernia pointed out that the Philippines is the only Catholic country that has not addressed its population issue. He added that the having a reproductive health policy would promote human development and a “life of dignity” rather than a “life of misery”, which is what many people who cannot properly care for their children are currently facing.

Ramon San Pascual of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD), said that churches support the passage of the RH bill as they know their members would benefit from it.

“We do not understand why some leaders of the Catholic Church are so stubborn that they refuse to see the issue in the perspective of their parishioners who in fact clamour for RH education and services,” said San Pascual.

Around 80 percent of the Philippines population is Catholic – and the Catholic Church sanctions only natural family planning methods.

Meanwhile, Pernia says that there were many priests, nuns and theologians who supported the bill as individuals but were still afraid to come out openly in support of it.

Following reports of the recent resumption of dialogue between the government and the Catholic hierarchy on RH, Elizabeth Angsioco, national chairperson of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP) said that other religions and women’s groups in the country deserve to be heard.

“The President should be reminded that the country is not 100 percent Catholic. It is only right that he listens to other religious leaders,” Angsioco said. By Kara Santos

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Medical Association has granted the Philippine College of Occupational Medicine (PCOM) specialty status under the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP).

PCOM received the specialty status in ceremonies witnessed by PMA and PCOM officials at the PMA office on North Avenue in Quezon City recently. PCOM is a specialty society affiliated with the International Commission of Occupational Health (ICOH) and the Asian Association of Occupational Health (AAOH).

In a press statement, PCOM said its vision is to be globally recognized as an organization of occupational medicine practitioners committed to preserve, protect, promote and enhance the health, wellness and safety of workers in all occupations while conserving the environment.

The new set of officers of PCOM national for the administrative year 2010-2011 are Rustico A. Jimenez, president; Marilyn C. Alentajan, vice president; Jeanne V. Tiangha, secretary; Oscar B. Santiano, treasurer; Armando I. Apostol, auditor; Raffy A. Aranjuez, PRO; and Luzviminda B. Ariosa, Ricardo T. Balagot, Jovencio J. Padilla, Marilou D. Renales, Imelda C. Santos, Marie Yvette S. Jaramillo, Ma. Gia Grace B. Sison, Felix A. Valenzuela and Jose P. Naval, members of the board of directors.

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:49:00 05/29/2010

Mary Bubala reports from the University of Maryland Medical Center, where you can feel the excitement.

A supercomputer named “Watson” wowed the world by beating Jeopardy’s top two contestants.

The supercomputer developed by IBM may be able to answer tricky questions with ease, but now it’s answering a call from the medical community — starting at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

It’s all because Dr. Eliot Siegel had a chance meeting with the Watson-Jeopardy team during a visit to IBM last year.

“I suggested to them that we might try to do the same thing in medicine and they said ‘Oh, that’s a really cool idea and they said rather than calling it Watson, maybe we could call it Dr. Watson,’” said Dr. Siegel.

Watson is able to understand language with all its nuances, and sift through 200 million pages of content in three seconds. Some believe it could revolutionize health care.

“Watson is answering medical questions as quickly and with the same level of confidence that it answered a lot of those hard Jeopardy questions,” said Dr. Herbert Chase, Professor of Clinical Medicine, Columbia University.

“It may say, ‘Dr. Siegel, did you think of this particular diagnosis? I don’t see it anywhere in the chart. Would you consider this particular therapeutic option’ or it may say, ‘I have just read something in a journal or a textbook. Maybe you haven’t seen it yet,’” Siegel said.

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The information explosion in modern medicine threatens to overload doctors, but Watson could help cut down on medical mistakes.

“It can check for inconsistencies in the records, drug interactions or diagnoses the patient as that he’s not been treated for. So it can do a safety check,” said Siegel.

Watson is a mega mind the size of 10 refrigerators. Some question if Dr. Watson needs to be a little more human for its next job.

“How can we give Dr. Watson a bedside manner and what should he or she look like? And should it be a disembodied voice or should we try to give it a face?” said Siegel.

Watson can understand language as we speak it–the difference between bat and bat for instance.

“It helps us appreciate our brain, our cognition, how we solve problems and how incredible the human mind and the human body is,” said David Ferrucci, IBM Watson Research Center.

It analyzes the equivalent of a million books and whittles down hundreds of answers to the best one.

Doctors say two minds are always better than one in medicine.

“I think patients will benefit by having me be a much better, up-to-date and smarter physician,” said Siegel.

Watson is filled with so much information, it would take a human 250,000 years to read it.

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