Exploring Bullshit in the Field of Medical Informatics: A Critical Perspective.

Abstract

Medical informatics continues to face significant challenges in establishing itself as a fully recognized scientific discipline. This lack of recognition can sometimes foster endeavors that, while appealing to uninformed audiences, may lack substantive scientific merit. This paper examines the concept of "bullshit" within the field, distinguishing between two forms: intentional misrepresentation (F-bullshit) and uncritical proliferation of assertions as truth (C-bullshit). By analyzing two case studies - the implementation of a national electronic health record (EHR) system in Switzerland and the use of patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) - we demonstrate how these types of bullshit sometimes emerge in medical informatics. We argue that a thorough investigation into the epistemological foundations of the discipline is essential for clearly delineating authentic scientific progress from superficial or misleading representations that may only mimic scientific rigor.