The algorithm would have to be refined and rigorously tested before put to use in the medical world. You don't want a glitch leading to the wrong diagnosis. If and when it's ready for prime time, however, it could do more than save time when you're at the clinic. Ideally, you could use the algorithm on your smartphone -- imagine taking a photo of an unusual mark on your body and getting an initial verdict without leaving home. And since you can train computer vision systems to recognize many object types, you could theoretically apply the technology to other visible conditions.