AMA Chief Blasts Some Health Technology As ‘Digital Snake Oil Of The 21st Century’
James Madara, the chief executive of the American Medical Association, praised some emerging technology as beneficial, but went on to warn about developments that may seem like advancements but really impede care and waste time.
San Francisco Business Times:
Is Digital Health 'The Digital Snake Oil Of The 21st Century'?
James Madara, M.D., chief executive of the American Medical Association, took some pointed shots at digital health Saturday at the AMA's annual meeting, comparing parts of the market to the snake oil salesmen of the late 19th century.
Many health care technology offerings — like robotic surgery, telemedicine and "emerging biologics" — offer promise, Madara acknowledged, but "appearing in disguise among these positive products are other digital so-called advancements that don't have an appropriate evidence base, or that just don't work that well—or that actually impede care, confuse patients and waste our time." (Rauber, 6/13)