A tale of art and science
When chess champion Gary Kasparov defeated IBM’s Deep Blue Supercomputer back in 1996, people around the globe shared in a warm feeling of vindication. More than a simple win, Kasparov’s victory proved that humans still had the advantage over machines. In the same way, it is possible to find the data questioning the value of CDSSs oddly reassuring. But the irony of history reminds us not to get comfortable in our assertions; just 1 year later, after extensive enhancements, Deep Blue returned to defeat Kasparov in a devastating rematch. We suggest viewing this irony as instructive; if one accepts – as we do unequivocally – the value of evidence-based medicine, one must also accept that the right decision support delivered in a timely fashion will ultimately lead to better care and improved clinical outcomes.
Dr. Skolnik is associate director of the family medicine residency program at Abington (Pa.) Memorial Hospital and professor of family and community medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia. He is also editor in chief of Redi-Reference, a software company that creates medical handheld references. Dr. Notte practices family medicine and health care informatics for Abington Memorial Hospital. They are partners in EHR Practice Consultants, helping practices move to EHR systems. Contact them at info@ehrpc.com.