Watson Will See You Now: A Supercomputer to Help Clinicians Make Informed Treatment Decisions

Abstract

IBM has collaborated with several cancer care providers to develop and train the IBM supercomputer Watson to help clinicians make informed treatment decisions. When a patient is seen in clinic, the oncologist can input all of the clinical information into the computer system. Watson will then review all of the data and recommend treatment options based on the latest evidence and guidelines. Once the oncologist makes the treatment decision, this information can be sent directly to the insurance company for approval. Watson has the ability to standardize care and accelerate the approval process, a benefit to the healthcare provider and the patient.

<p>Concordance of Treatment Recommendations for Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Between Watson for Oncology System and Medical Team</p>

“…12 With the enormous number of new antineoplastic drugs emerging and the other rapid development in the tumor field, physicians cannot keep up with the latest research findings and guidelines to better treat their patients. 13,14 This situation makes it impossible to provide an appropriate treatment regimen efficiently and quickly to a specific lung cancer patient. Simultaneously, the lack of authoritative oncologists is further impeding the current situation.…”

“…12 WFO combines all of the available clinical information and the latest evidence and guidelines to make informed treatment recommendations. 13 WFO was introduced into China in March 2017 and is now used by many medical institutions. 12 Consistency of treatment regimens between WFO and oncologists had been observed for breast cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer.…”

Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Technologies and Clinical Decision Making

“…5,6 Specifically, IBM Watson has been introduced to assist with decision making related to lung cancer treatment; this is based on its ability to synthesize and analyze data, including case scenarios and research evidence, and to formulate clinical decisions such as choice of treatments. 7,8 Despite its promising capabilities, projects and partnerships with academic medical centres related to this lung cancer treatment program have been discontinued, as the treatment decisions provided by Watson were found to be inappropriate and not safe for patients. 9,10 This example provides a valuable opportunity for researchers and healthcare providers to reflect on the potential implications of intelligent-enabled technologies and their impact on clinical practice.…”

The history of development of medical information systems

“…После успешного опыта использования данной системы в Университетском медицинском центре Нью-Йорка была установлена система TDS и также показала свою эффективность: результатом ее работы стали снижение расхода медицинских препаратов на 22%, уменьшение нагрузки отделения рентгенологии на 32%; кроме того, сократилось время выполнения заказов: в аптеке -на 4,9 ч (на 71%), в лаборатории -на 2,4 ч (на 9%) [18,19].…”