Note to Healthcare: Step Up and Embrace Machine Learning

Machine learning and artificial intelligence have never been as red hot as they are now, as companies apply them for use in everything from autonomous vehicles to game systems to contact center software. However, not every industry has embraced the benefits of machine learning equally. Healthcare in particular is lagging behind significantly -- unfortunate since the use of machine learning and AI can positively impact society in a big way by enabling faster diagnosis. I know some, but not all, of you are aware that in late 2016 my wife, Christine, was diagnosed with something called "common variable immune disorder," or CVID, after being sick for the better part of three years. The diagnosis came only after she had gone from specialist to specialist, having had vials of blood drawn and having been poked and prodded only to hear, "We don't know what you have but it isn't X" (X the doctor's area of specialty).