Seattle physician exposes algorithms in healthcare

Technology in some ways has made our lives easier and tasks more efficient. But a friend, who also happens to be a physician, reminded me technology is only as good as the way it’s developed and programmed. It’s an issue she highlighted as part of a recent TED Talk.

If you’ve never heard of a TED Talk, it’s a platform that showcases expert speakers on a variety of topics. My friend, Dr. Michelle Terry, recently gave one in Seattle about this very issue, specifically algorithms. The technology works behind the scenes, giving us a risk score and therefore impacting treatment.

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Days before the speech, she asked if I would listen and share my reactions. Well afterward, I was deeply concerned and had questions.

Dr. Terry had me sit down at my computer and use a government-sponsored online tool, The National Cancer Institute’s Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool.

The test took only 5 minutes and it had me answer a few questions about my age, when I started my menstrual cycle and my ethnicity. Within seconds, it told me my risk of getting breast cancer was low. Then she had me take the assessment again; but this time, I would change my race to white. Turns out that with everything else being the same, my risk was 5% higher.

While the algorithm seemed to think my chances of getting breast cancer were higher as a white woman, Dr. Terry emphasized you can’t tell someone’s genetics because of their color.

“When we go to the doctor, we expect that the doctor will treat us as individuals and will listen to our stories and make a diagnosis based on science,” explained Dr. Terry. “Race is not a good proxy for genetic differences, it’s just not. How someone may present in terms of the color of their skin or texture of hair might not even be from a particular country.”

The bottom line is race is not biological. However, Dr. Terry said race is still used in algorithms for other conditions as well. The one she talked about in her TED Talk was heart disease and women. Her advice to counter the algorithms is to advocate for yourself and ask this question of your healthcare provider.

“‘How did you come to this recommendation?’ shared Dr. Terry. “Then ask a follow-up question and say ‘Do you know if race was included in the algorithm?’”

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Dr. Terry’s speech should be released later this month through TED Talk.

Technology is a tool, but in healthcare, it can’t be the ultimate one.

Angela Poe Russell is a Seattle-based media personality and a fill-in host on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of her commentaries and stories here.