Doctors, AI, and Five-Star Reviews. What the Hell Happened to Medicine?by Ric DAmico I’ll tell ya one thing, I wouldn’t wanna be a doctor today. Not for all the money in the world. These poor guys are getting it from every direction.Years ago, you went to the doctor, told him what was wrong, and whatever he said, that was pretty much it. He went to medical school. You didn’t. End of discussion.Not anymore!Today, some guy from Delco spends three nights on ChatGPT, watches 40 YouTube videos, reads a couple of medical studies, and walks into the doctor’s office ready to defend his doctoral dissertation.”Doc, I think I have a rare neurological disorder.”Meanwhile, the doctor’s looking at his watch thinking, “Oh boy, here we go again.”And here’s the crazy part. That patient might actually know more about the latest research on that particular condition than the doctor does! Not because he’s smarter, but because he’s spent 20 hours researching it, and the doctor has 15 minutes to figure out what’s going on.Now throw corporate medicine into the mix.Remember when doctors had their own offices? The receptionist knew your whole family, and the doctor could have the personality of a parking meter. But if he was good, you kept going.Today, many doctors work for giant medical organizations, dealing with productivity reports, patient satisfaction surveys, and corporate policies. They’re running healthcare like a department store.And now doctors have to worry about Google reviews!Can you imagine that 40 years ago?”Doctor saved my life, but the waiting room magazines were lousy. Two stars.”And some doctors are actually ASKING patients to leave reviews!What’s next?”If you enjoyed your colonoscopy, please give us five stars on Google!”Quite frankly, I’m beginning to look at some doctors as nothing more than gatekeepers. They’re the ones who can write the prescription, order the MRI, or send you to a specialist. Meanwhile, AI can explain medical conditions, interpret test results, and research treatments in seconds.But I’ll give a good doctor credit for something AI can’t replace: hands-on experience.It’s like a mechanic who’s worked on BMWs for 30 years. You pull into his garage, he hears one little noise, and he knows what’s wrong because he’s seen it a hundred times before. A good doctor has that same advantage. He’s examined thousands of actual patients and recognizes things you can’t learn just by reading about them.That’s the kind of doctor I want. Not somebody who spends five minutes with me and sends me down the road.And here’s the irony. Patients are becoming more medically informed through AI at the very same time doctors are being turned into customer-service employees who have to worry about keeping everybody happy.The best doctors of the future won’t be the ones who know everything. They’ll be the ones who combine their experience with a willingness to listen to informed patients.I don’t need my doctor to be my best buddy or have a five-star personality. I need him to be a damn good doctor who listens.And if he does that, I’ll gladly give him five stars.Just don’t ask me to fill out a customer satisfaction survey while I’m still wearing the hospital gown!
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I believe wisdom comes not just from books, but from years of living, learning, and observing the world. My writing blends personal experience, practical advice, and reflections on life, work, and society. You’ll find stories that reach back to earlier decades, lessons I’ve learned in business and everyday living, and thoughts on how we can approach today’s challenges with perspective and resilience.
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