Crowdsourcing Health Data: A Resource or Liability?

Worried young woman looking at phone

Is it a worthwhile or reliable means to gather information?

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jason Henninger is the managing editor and product manager at MedLearn Media.

Making trending news recently, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating reports of food poisoning related to Lucky Charms cereal. General Mills’ own investigation found nothing wrong with the food, but that alone is of course not enough to satisfy the FDA.

A notable aspect of this story is the role crowdsourcing played, via the website iwaspoisoned.com. Around 3,000 people have complained there of stomach issues, and blamed the cereal. The FDA itself received about 100 complaints through its own reporting methods.

While it is beyond the scope of MedLearn to comment on the veracity of these claims or the inner workings of the FDA or General Mills, the situation raises an interesting question about the nature of crowdsourcing. Is it, to put it bluntly, a worthwhile or trustworthy means to gather information? In the pre-Internet days, the idea of gaining reliable intelligence from mass sources would have been viewed for the most part as hearsay at worst, and folk wisdom at best.

The term crowdsourcing comes from the editors of Wired magazine in 2005, who intended it to mean outsourcing a task to a crowd (more along the lines of what we’d now call the gig economy). The idea evolved to mean a sort of voluntary public database. Wikipedia, probably the most widely used crowdsourced website (though it predates the term itself) is an incredible achievement in collaboration, and a great place to begin learning on a vast array of subjects.

But no matter how much accurate material can be found there, Wikipedia should never be considered a definitive source. After all, academic, scientific, and journalistic research all have rigorous standards; crowdsourcing has posting guidelines at most. This is not to say that crowdsourcing isn’t valuable. But it isn’t intrinsically reliable.

The complexity of the concern can affect the reliability of the crowdsourced information. A website called Does the Dog Die? crowdsources warnings about potentially triggering scenes in movies. Since the reporting relates to something easily verifiable, it is a fairly non-controversial website with little to complicate its findings. Compare this to the famous example of Redditors who took it upon themselves to identify the Boston Marathon bomber, which resulted in several innocent people being harassed.

The website in question here, iwaspoisoned.com, requires no sign-in, no input from physicians (though the site employs physicians as advisors). In other words, there’s no proof. After all, it is crowdsourcing, and crowdsourcing doesn’t require proof. But one of the truisms of research is that correlation does not imply causation. Put another way, the plural of anecdote is not evidence. To the website’s credit, they never claim to provide definitive proof of food poisoning outbreaks; they merely provide a platform to report it, and offer alerts. Further, they can and do report their findings to governmental bodies such as the FDA. There is likely value in doing so.

And yet one doesn’t need to think too long to spot some pitfalls here. First and foremost, people without medical training are making what amounts to self-diagnoses. This can be a dangerous practice for ill people, and a misleading practice when made public. Someone could get sick from spaghetti they ate on the weekend but think, wait, I had Lucky Charms for breakfast. That must be it, because all these other people say the same thing.

It will be interesting to follow this story, especially as the FDA investigates the claims. Will iwaspoisoned.com come out looking like a great source of real-time data of a scope the FDA can’t compete with, or a platform for speculation? Either way, it might be a good time to switch less sugary breakfast.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Jason Henninger

Jason Henninger is the managing editor of MedLearn Media. In nearly twenty years as a writer and editor, he has worked for Advance Local, the Los Angeles Times, Macmillan, and World Tribune Press.

Related Stories

The “Car Guy” Who Became a “Doc”

The Death of an Actor

EDITOR’S NOTE: In recognition of National Doctors’ Day, coming up at the end of the month, starting Monday, March 25, MedLearn Media will be honoring

Read More

Leave a Reply

Please log in to your account to comment on this article.

Featured Webcasts

Leveraging the CERT: A New Coding and Billing Risk Assessment Plan

Leveraging the CERT: A New Coding and Billing Risk Assessment Plan

Frank Cohen shows you how to leverage the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing Program (CERT) to create your own internal coding and billing risk assessment plan, including granular identification of risk areas and prioritizing audit tasks and functions resulting in decreased claim submission errors, reduced risk of audit-related damages, and a smoother, more efficient reimbursement process from Medicare.

April 9, 2024
2024 Observation Services Billing: How to Get It Right

2024 Observation Services Billing: How to Get It Right

Dr. Ronald Hirsch presents an essential “A to Z” review of Observation, including proper use for Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and commercial payers. He addresses the correct use of Observation in medical patients and surgical patients, and how to deal with the billing of unnecessary Observation services, professional fee billing, and more.

March 21, 2024
Top-10 Compliance Risk Areas for Hospitals & Physicians in 2024: Get Ahead of Federal Audit Targets

Top-10 Compliance Risk Areas for Hospitals & Physicians in 2024: Get Ahead of Federal Audit Targets

Explore the top-10 federal audit targets for 2024 in our webcast, “Top-10 Compliance Risk Areas for Hospitals & Physicians in 2024: Get Ahead of Federal Audit Targets,” featuring Certified Compliance Officer Michael G. Calahan, PA, MBA. Gain insights and best practices to proactively address risks, enhance compliance, and ensure financial well-being for your healthcare facility or practice. Join us for a comprehensive guide to successfully navigating the federal audit landscape.

February 22, 2024
Mastering Healthcare Refunds: Navigating Compliance with Confidence

Mastering Healthcare Refunds: Navigating Compliance with Confidence

Join healthcare attorney David Glaser, as he debunks refund myths, clarifies compliance essentials, and empowers healthcare professionals to safeguard facility finances. Uncover the secrets behind when to refund and why it matters. Don’t miss this crucial insight into strategic refund management.

February 29, 2024
2024 ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Clinic Update Webcast Series

2024 ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Clinic Update Webcast Series

HIM coding expert, Kay Piper, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, reviews the guidance and updates coders and CDIs on important information in each of the AHA’s 2024 ICD-10-CM/PCS Quarterly Coding Clinics in easy-to-access on-demand webcasts, available shortly after each official publication.

April 15, 2024

Trending News

Happy National Doctor’s Day! Learn how to get a complimentary webcast on ‘Decoding Social Admissions’ as a token of our heartfelt appreciation! Click here to learn more →

SPRING INTO SAVINGS! Get 21% OFF during our exclusive two-day sale starting 3/21/2024. Use SPRING24 at checkout to claim this offer. Click here to learn more →