I don’t often cite other blogs, but this is a worthwhile quick read about changing patient behaviors. Wonderful story about a physicians failure with a patient and the lessons he draws from using a calcium score to try to get a patient to change. Did not go well. And I will change how I think about this as a result.
This is very much on my mind as we race to embrace our newest AI assistants. If we outsource more and more of our tasks and thinking, does that make us duller? Yes and no, depending on …
I think this is a big deal; how will we work with our new AI partners?
We could either ask: “tell me the answer about XYZ” then we learn how to be great at copy and paste, but we don’t learn anything.
OR, we could ask: “Quiz me on the important principles of XYZ, and when I get it wrong, correct my understanding. Lead me to a deeper understanding of __”
When the AI becomes a helpful assistant, where I am the primary learner, this helps.
There is a big difference between cognitive ease for repetitive tasks that we don’t care to get faster at, VERSUS productive cognitive friction for topics that we, as humans, want to understand better.
Struggle is important for learning.
I have spoken.
--Ughnaught pilot Belin, from the Mandalorian
I love questions like this, that don’t make sense, then then slowly start to make sense, and then draw you into the math and science and … woop! There’s an answer to the question.
https://www.wired.com/story/can-a-hydroelectric-dam-really-make-the-days-longer/
Math and science for the win, on unexpected questions.
This is the beginning of the beginning. Teachers are starting to create generative AI that helps students learn, and NOT do the actual assignment. Imagine a chatbot where a student can ask questions outside of the classroom to understand concepts or ask it to critique initial writing. I like this very much. There is something here for medical residents and medical students, and indeed even practicing physicians. Tweaking the relationship between the AI assistant and the human is our hard work to come.
One of the great pleasures in life is to catch people in a moment of joyful surprise. My schtick is ukulele EHR parody songs when people don’t expect it. Here are two: ChatGPT, sung to Sweet Caroline, about AI draft replies to patients, chart summaries and ambient notes. Then, EHR Wonderland, about Abridge and ambient note experience. OK, strictly speaking, only one is a holiday song parody, but who’s counting. Happy holidays!
ChatGPT – to Sweet Caroline
EHR Wonderland – to Winter Wonderland
The story continues. Our EHR, partnered with Epic predictive AI model among other predictive tools have reduced sepsis mortality by 1000 fewer deaths per year compared to our baseline, as we find and treat sepsis earlier with reconfigured teamwork in addition to improved detection tools. Another tale of the Psycho-80: 80% of a project’s success is about the psycho-socio-political skills of the people and 20% of the success is due to technology. Grateful for smart colleagues and partners. (image, our fearless informatics leaders, analysts and trainers having a well-deserved meal after another EHR implementation day)
Engineers have simulated an Easter Island Moai and demonstrated that the easiest way to transport a Moai, the many-ton stone statues, is by WALKING THEM.
Using computer modeling and recognizing that the base of the Moai is “d-shaped” and that the statue tends to lean forward, they figure out that using ropes and multiple teams, they could ‘rock’ the statue and ‘walk’ it to its final location from the quarry. View the link and the video of the walking.
Another ancient puzzle solved.
There is a new category of origami folding and researchers think it can revolutionize solar panels or other technology going to space by folding down flat in rockets.Â
There is a new category of origami folding and researchers think it can revolutionize solar panels or other technology going to space by folding down flat in rockets.
Very cool.
The term Vibe Coding, I take to mean, an AI does the actual coding that a human tells it to do. Here’s a WIRED reporter learning to do just that. Insightful read.
How can dry science be communicated in a way that the public can understand? How can science recover the standing that it had years ago, when the Royal Society in London was THE place to be, to hear scientists talk about their latest work? In fact, Albemarle street had to made ONE WAY, the first one-way street, because of the popularity of these talks that the traffic was otherwise unmanageable? This is a compelling talk you have to hear.
Fergus McAuliffe, scientist, tells of the key elements of science: precise language, objective findings, volumes of data.
He points out that these are also the barriers that keep science communication from being effective with public audiences: too dry, too much, not engaging.
The solution: STORY.
CMIO’s take? This is 13 minutes of your life that will serve you well. Communicate science through story.
