Thomas Goetz: It's time to redesign medical data

[Baden1]

This makes good sense.

A good read is "The End of Illness:

by David Agus. A must read!

[MoodyGroove]

You took a very good talk and blew it with your comment about doctors not understanding lab values. You came across like a righteous policy wonk. News flash: you don't have all the answers bud. A color coded lab values page isn't new. I get one at my annual physical every year.

[baseemahAli]

brillant!!

[johnworth001]

superb. people are capable, they can be trusted to understand their data. just design it so they can read it.

[acidcrashguy]

One word- Ayurveda. This talk becomes redundant.

[1977trishan1977]

This is painfully basic.

[opnasd]

Understanding partially is worse than not understanding at all. Because in the first case, there are actions.In the drug facts it may write, this drug prevents blood clothing. But there are hundred different mechanisms for that that only medical education can give you the total understanding.

(Sorry for my english)

[vegano1]

As soon as she touched my dick, i came and started farting.

Great talk mate.

[ninjatoothpaste]

I think they present data in a boring way so that you don't read it, negative side effects and that - there are too many hypercondriacs in this world. Personally I research every drug I take, prescribed or otherwise, for two reasons: 1. It's interesting to me. 2. I want to know what to watch for if I have a bad reaction and what action to take.

[tioedong]

the real problem is that we docs have to "document" every little trivial fact to get paid, so who has time to think or to find the real information that we need to know.

The system rewards paper work that is reviewed by the bureaucrats, but not talking to patients.

[lassek85]

What hes dabbling about is changing the general norm, thus getting information about certain values out to the population becomes important. Simplicity has a big role, so does credibility - that is why its important the patient understand what the information means, so he/she can conclude the doctor is right, affirm it as the right decision and accept that the consequences have effect.

[richardcadbury]

We need two channels:

One for talks like this. (TEDtalks)

Another for the glorified motivational speakers, feminism-peddlers and other bullshit merchants. (TEDnonsense)

[b3l13v3r]

@richardcadbury - I wish I could click like a THOUSAND times for this comment!!!!

[SoundMusicVideo]

Jake Shimabukuro plays "Bohemian Rhapsody" and this new video are now in my top favorites !

love is guys

[happyman286]

there are way to many morons in charge of the world. we need more guys like this in charge that actualy think about things

[kid29a]

Lol at the title! I'd love to redesign my medical data especially my cholesterol level and blood pressure. More seriously - dumbing down data _representation_ would not help at all. These colourful fancy and descriptive sheets would be a nice and helpful_add-ons_ to results.

[lassek85]

@kid29a

With what right do you say increasing the degree patients understand their illnesses wont affect the credibility they give the treatments and the effor tthey put into following those treatments? What surveys are you refering to? Or am i supposed to take your opinion as a fact?

[kid29a]

@lassek85 I didn't say that. I said - removing information from results wouldn't be helpful - but - more understandable for casual people add-on with nice design would help for sure. But that ruins the idea of saving money.

[bersaba]

How much money will that colour printing cost, given how many blood tests are done in a hospital?

Also, sometimes we need the "normal" values, and not summarised. Sometimes we need all the values as a baseline.

I like what this guy's idea is, but needs to make sure all the information is still there.

[Paulginz]

@bersaba Blood tests cost at least tens of dollars. Printing an additional summary page in colour costs a few cents at most.

[honeyxbee18]

I love dentistry :3

[austpom333]

Man you just cant change people that cant change

[S3R14LX]

excellent talk. im glad to see someone encouraging patients/people to be more involved with their trips to the doctor. i understand what he means by "personalized data". those revised data sheets were invaluable and looks quite revolutionary to how patients receive their results. Doctors should not only treat patients, but educate them, but it is so difficult to get stumbled in all the medical jargon. this is a huge step for our health and doctor-patient relations. TED continues to be amazing

[bersaba]

@S3R14LX

Only problem is sometimes a "little bit" of information is a bad thing. I'm a nurse, and work mostly in mental health, but when I've done some work in general, one of the things that annoys me the most is "self diagnosis" that people do. They jump on the internet and punch in a google search, and then come in thinking they have X Y Z.

I agree in principal with what your saying, but needs to be handled with care.

[qmam]

Looks easy to implement so WHY it's not yet implemented? I guess software for another 10.000 USD may do that, right?

[xilliah]

Woaw he's so great at presenting, it's absolutely clear and I like his expressions.

[XxDollarBill]

OMG its Dougy Houser.... That was my very first thought.

[VeemanLTTE]

@XxDollarBill Exactly

[xmeerzx]

Amazing ideas!

[lenoka]

I actually read and understand the instruction leaflets... but they're terribly verbose and often redundant.

[BFDK]

It's indeed time.

[sukablianah2]

*stands up and goes to brush teeth*

[orladin]

@sukablianah2 And floss! =P

[Shadowstray]

The speed limit thing works until someone attaches a board and starts keeping a high score.

[SSuperCuriouss]

I agree with revolutionizing data presentation. But what about the reaction to bad news.. and so overwhelmed they can't get to the end of the report.

No biggie, i know.

[Melki]

need to apply that to terms and conditions as well. Thumbs up for more user friendly terms and conditions.

[solojam]

Makes you wonder about the current system and WHY its so inefficient.

[YoLninYo]

it's not a coincidence, it is done by the "arbiters of health" to confuse, disenfranchise and disengage people from actively participating in their own healthcare. They want disengaged automatons ready to pop any goddamned pill they're pushed by the drug companies and their sales reps... err .. "physicians".

[solojam]

@YoLninYo amen

[GrimSoul66]

Fucking eh, I like this talk. I like the way he starts off with something everyone can comprehend (brushing and flawsing) then teaching us that we can integrate that into other things in our life.

[henleythecat]

The state of CA recently passed a law that make it illegal for the lab to give you the test results even if you ask for it (you have to obtain a copy from your doctor) They found that the data is so confusing, that only a doctor can interpret the data correctly.

Obviously the wrong solution for CA and the industry.

[enlightenedone676]

@henleythecat I totally agree with you. In clinical genetics where I work, for genetic diseases, a person specifically trained in communication is used to bridge the gap between medicine and the family. Genetic counsellors really help families understand and move forward from the information that they get. More medicine needs to follow this pattern. Get the doctors out of the communication system! You can barely read their hand writing :P

[henleythecat]

@enlightenedone676 Interesting, I have some experience with genetic counselors (talk to them about my HHT). I'm not sure that the same concept can be extended to all branches of medicine, but it would be an interesting adjunct to the communications systems this guy is talking about.

[enlightenedone676]

@henleythecat I agree with that. If you can provide people with information in a meaningful way, that's the key. At the very least, it makes this sort of information more engaging.

[DRSelkirk]

Yes! we need more graphic design jobs!

[NateTube]

Brilliant! Ah, the beauty of simplicity.

[ahdkaw]

oh the patient is a resource, a resource to be exploited through fear, great idea! I get it now, no privacy at the level of your own medical history.

[ninjakaratepandaman]

Great presenter and lecture!

[DavidSabine]

Cool Learning Circle at 5:44

[SEThatered]

Totally agree with this guy. And it's valid not only for medicine, but for many others as well. It doesn't take that much time to make it understandable.

[citizenkahn1]

@SEThatered Agreed. How many other forms or web pages offer data without fore thought. From bug reports to credit card bills the method of presentation has major impacts on how people react.

[SEThatered]

@citizenkahn1

Also it seems to me unfair that designers or architects are obligated to expain their concepts.

Where's health is much bigger issue than a poor design.

Also this "explanatory issue" could create new workplaces as well.

[t3tsuyaguy1]

Um.....I work with lab results every day. "All that other junk" is vital. It is were we see how the pt is trending, it is how we engage in preventative care.

Increasing the accessibility of the data is a great idea.  I'm with him there. Miscasting swaths of the data as useless, because you don't understand it, is reprehensible.

[iAMsoBEAST1]

Really wish they did do this

[LordOfTheObvious]

I always try to read my medical information. And ever after i Google 80% of the text i still don't understand anything.

That's why I hope this possibility for change is actually used.

[HDvideosaregood]

Side effects shouldn't be presented. The less you know, the less likely you will be to experience them.

[AssyrianRebel1]

@HDvideosaregood ignorance is bless?

[muahahahaboom]

@HDvideosaregood

O Rly? I did not know about the side effects of a drug I took recently, and I ended up in the ER due to said side effects. Cut the BS, kthxbai.

[MrCattlehunter]

@HDvideosaregood

So you think that if something HAS an effect, but you don't tell the patient, it will work as some sort of anti-placebo and end up having no effect? Brilliant notion. If only there was some obvious flaw... but I can't think of any!

[Zetioun4]

I totally agree, its fucking tiresome reading a etiquette for 30 minutes to know wtf the drug is for. This should have been implemented like 50 years ago. Makes me feel depressed to think that this is 2011

[IdoloR]

Clever idea.

[zassounotsukushi]

This is a fantastic talk. Great contribution. Medical records are going to be huge, and he offers many many useful suggestions.

[Iced1992]

Oh, a talk that isn't an absolute waste of time. Joy.

[MetalBassist1234]

one of my favorite talks, good job!

[AmusingYeti]

I dont get on with flossing. It doesnt seem to do anything for me!

[MaBuSt]

@AmusingYeti it becomes more and more important the older you get. As your gum lines recede then more space is available for food to be stuck and more opportunity for gum infection and canaries forming between your teeth... which is a huge pain in the ass compared to a normal cavity.

[JustinHFX]

@MaBuSt Oh god. if i got a canary growing between my teeth, i'd take it as proof the health care system really is for the birds!