Skip to content
With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, what role does the doctor play? José Padrão Mendes reflects on the importance of context in diagnosis and treatment, rigour, and the human touch in care.
To understand the brain better also requires understanding the person
Imagine a consultation in which the doctor has access to more information than ever before. Test results, data collected over time and tools capable of identifying patterns that are difficult to spot are all available on the same screen. It seems like an obvious step forward. But how does the person who arrives feeling anxious, full of doubts, and with a life that must go on after they leave the surgery fit into this picture?
It is one of the issues addressed in the interview with Dr José Padrão Mendes to the magazine Points of View. When discussing the future of medicine and the path ahead for NeuroPsyque, the neurologist and neuropsychiatrist invites us to reflect on what is expected of Artificial Intelligence and on the responsibilities that continue to fall to the doctor.
What the data fails to reveal
For José Padrão Mendes, the risk lies in gathering increasingly detailed information without gaining a better understanding of who is providing it – the patient.
It is important to be aware of test results and recognise changes, but how someone experiences the illness also depends on their history, of his fears and what he wishes to preserve.
“Information is not understanding. Data is not meaning.”
The distinction becomes clearer when we consider the questions a person might bring to a consultation.
Will I be able to carry on working? How do I explain this to my children? What changes can I make to my daily routine?
These are issues that require time, plain language and a conversation in which there is room to pause and reflect, without the usual rush of a doctor’s appointment.
In the interview, the doctor argues that technology should help this relationship go further.
The value of a tool is also measured by the way it enables us to better understand a situation and discuss the available options. This is where the accuracy of the data meets the reality of each person’s life.
A clinical decision requires context
If Artificial Intelligence were to surpass doctors in certain diagnostic tasks, what would make their presence indispensable? José Padrão Mendes highlights empathy, critical thinking, communication and the ability to make responsible decisions.
Recognising a pattern is part of the job. Interpreting what this result means for someone requires other skills.
The same reasoning applies to protocols and guidelines that help healthcare professionals make decisions based on the available scientific evidence. The doctor advocates their strict application, whilst taking into account individual differences.
A patient’s medical history may include family issues, other medical conditions or circumstances that need to be taken into account when making a decision.
For those seeking care, this approach values the opportunity to take part in the conversation. Understanding a proposal, asking questions and discussing one’s own priorities are all part of the clinical relationship. A decision may be technically complex, yet it can still be explained in a way that allows the person to follow the reasoning.
Innovation is also about knowing how to ask questions
The interview raises another concern: how should we assess new technologies in a market full of promises? José Padrão Mendes suggests looking at the quality of the studies, the consistency of the results and the balance between benefits, costs and risks. Enthusiasm must be accompanied by the ability to demand evidence.
This requirement forms part of the legacy I would like to leave at NeuroPsyque: a culture of care, rigour and respect for every individual, one that will endure beyond the founder. As I look ahead to the coming years, one priority remains: “Listening will continue to be essential.”
The future of medicine therefore raises a question that is very close to the minds of those who walk into a doctor’s surgery today: how can we use everything we know to provide better care for the patients sitting in front of us?
This is a brief summary of one of the topics discussed. To read the full interview with Dr José Padrão Mendes in the magazine Points of View, Read the full interview here.
