Douglas Flora, Executive Medical Director of Yung Family Cancer Center at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, President-Elect of the Association of Cancer Care Centers, and Editor in Chief of AI in Precision Oncology, shared a post on LinkedIn by Mark Moch, adding:
“The Thread That Ties It Together
What a privilege to present to this distinguished group of oncologists in Scottsdale. We explored how technological revolutions often feel like endings when they’re actually beginnings. The parallels between the Jacquard loom and our current AI moment in oncology couldn’t be more striking.
Just as 19th-century weavers feared the Jacquard loom would eliminate their craft, many in oncology worry that AI will diminish the art of medicine. But history teaches us: disruption doesn’t destroy expertise—it transforms it.
The loom didn’t end weaving—it democratized complex pattern-making and enabled innovations impossible by hand. The skilled weavers who embraced it didn’t lose their craft—they gained superpowers.
Throughout our discussions, the same themes emerged—threads that reveal AI’s true promise in cancer care:
Precision: AI amplifies clinical judgment, allowing us to craft more personalized treatment strategies.
Access: Like the loom’s democratization of complex textiles, AI brings expert-level capabilities to underserved communities and resource-limited settings.
Time: AI frees us from routine analysis and administrative burden, returning precious time to the human connection between physician and patient.
Discovery: Most excitingly, AI reveals insights in cancer biology that human analysis alone could never uncover—we’re not just doing things faster, we’re discovering entirely new possibilities.
So let’s return to the Jacquard loom one final time. At first, it looked like the end of an art form. In reality, it was the beginning of a new chapter. What threatened to replace craftsmanship instead became the catalyst for broader access, new creative expressions, and ultimately, technological advances far beyond what anyone could have imagined.
And if we do this right, thread by thread, case by case, we might just weave something better than we’ve ever seen before. For our patients. For our profession. For the future of cancer care.
The thread that ties it all together isn’t technology itself—it’s our shared commitment to improving outcomes for the patients who trust us with their lives. AI is simply our newest tool in that ancient and noble pursuit.”
Quoting Mark Moch’s post below:
“Inaugural MiBA Community Oncology Summit is LIVE! AI for Impact: Transforming Community Oncology!
It’s time to dive deep, learn, and brainstorm the future of care. From AI-driven insights to personalized strategies, we’re shaping what’s next. Taking the stage: Douglas Flora, Peggy Ann Torney, Lalan Wilfong, Kashyap Patel. The future of community oncology is taking shape—right now!
Who’s joining the conversation?”
More posts featuring Douglas Flora.
