Monday, March 15, 2010

Opportunities ahead to reduce impact of doctor shortage an money constraint: Machine Learning

The "Collège des médecins du Québec" is hammering us with advertisement to give Québec Government solution to find new founding to pay more our doctors and specialists. In the industry, we make more money by been more efficient, not increasing prices. It is the easy solution when others are paying. "Collège des médecins du Québec" should promote efficiency to reduce their cost, deliver better service and generate more margin to increase nurses and doctors.
As an example, radiologist are earning on average around 700 K/year and Ophthalmologist 600K/year. Yes our generalist doctor could earn more, the average is around 150K/year. As a heavy tax payer, I am suggesting using optician approach in BC, replace heavy paid optometrist by machines to do the exams. Basically, automate what need to automate and use doctor efficiently which could reduce/eliminate the shortage.
When people go to far with their salary expectation, it is time to bring them back on earth. No one accept fees increase for poorer service.
Public system and doctors studies are founded by our taxes and Health System spending represents close to 50% of Québec spending, money doesn't grow in trees. Yes, they are getting less if they were in the states, but US doesn't have a public systems, only wealthy people have access to it and it can't happen in Canada because it is publicly founded.
I have tried to help happy clinic by contacting doctors to offer smart waiting time system to make people wait less but most of them didn't care much: we are busy, people have to way, its a natural filter. They can make us waiting hours even with appointments, treat us like shit because the service offer is low. When most of us are waiting, we aren't earning money to pay them. Shame on you. Everyone is loosing at this game.
Doctor are getting greedy and are starting to see them as untouchable and are forgetting who are paying their salary.
If well packaged, Machine Learning can be use by anyone to do high level screening and provide valuable information. In 2010, doctors remain one of the only profession who doesn't use much machine to make them more efficient and are fighting to stay the bottleneck. With this crisis ahead, it might be a good opportunity for the machine learning community to get into this shielded area in the benefit of everyone, them too.

No comments:

Post a Comment