In 1984, I wrote algorithms and created a programme called “PAT”, the Paediatric Assessment Tool. This was to help junior doctors (SHOs) distinguish between minor and severe illnesses that require hospitalisation. I identified the loopholes, stopped validating this tool, and began searching for an alternative. This was long before Jerome Groopman mentioned Algorithms in his book “How Doctors Think”

Dr Jerome Groopman, in his 2007 book "How Doctors Think", discusses the limitations of relying solely on algorithms and standardised protocols in medical practice. He emphasises that medicine is not a one-size-fits-all discipline; each patient presents unique symptoms, histories, and contexts that may not fit neatly into predefined categories.

He advocates for a more personalised approach, where physicians use their clinical judgment, expe ...