kodykirk

[kodykirk]

How is AI changing the way we think about healthcare delivery?

How is AI changing the way we think about healthcare delivery?

Karim Lakhani wisely remarked, "AI is not going to replace humans, but humans with AI are going to replace humans without AI." This sentiment resonates particularly strongly within the realm of healthcare. In the past week, I had the privilege of engaging with leading experts in healthcare and AI, ranging from government agencies to some of the world's largest tech companies. Unifying their diverse perspectives was a resounding consensus: AI is becoming an indispensable force in healthcare, and the trajectory is irreversible.

The integration of AI extends beyond conventional expectations, addressing pressing issues such as provider burnout, administrative overload, the dynamics of patient-provider relationships, and ultimately enhancing patient outcomes. Of all the ways AI has been implemented, the most intriguing to me is how it is being utilized in hospital intensive care units (ICUs). Dr. Monica Coley from Amazon talked briefly about “virtual ICUs,” so I decided to dig deeper to see how AI is being implemented in these spaces.

At the Houston Methodist hospital system, “AI is driving innovation in clinical operations (Hut, 2023).” In the ICU, Houston Methodist utilizes AI to assist in bedside patient monitoring by feeding “predictive algorithms that allow for preemptive interventions, tracking 18 key measures, among them heart rate and respiratory rate (Hut, 2023).” During the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s (HFMA’s) annual conference, Houston Methodist highlighted their successful use of AI in ICUs. The health system’s vice president for innovation and IT applications stated, “not only do we have the nighttime coverage now with less individuals than what we had trying to staff for them being on-site, but we’re able to intervene much faster and quicker with these patients based on the algorithms that were built within this program.” They have also witnessed a reduction in clinician burnout, as well as decreases in both patient length of stay and hospital-acquired conditions.

But is it all good news? Will AI replace humans, and are there associated risks?

The short answer? Yes. Even Houston Methodist acknowledges that “the technology could phase out the need for human operators altogether in the virtual observation model (Hut, 2023).” It is undeniable that AI will replace certain jobs. Even the World Economic Forum predicts that 75 million will be lost to AI between 2018 and 2022 (Cann, 2018). Yet, the same report indicates that "the rapid evolution of machines and algorithms in the workplace could create 133 million new roles," resulting in a net gain of 58 million new jobs overall (Cann, 2018). (Maybe Karim Lakhani was right after all?) Other concerns with implementing AI successfully include “data privacy, social issues, ethical issues, hacking issues, developer issues (khan et al., 2023).”

The transformative impact of AI on healthcare delivery is undeniable, as it addresses critical challenges, from provider burnout to patient outcomes. Houston Methodist's pioneering use of AI in ICUs exemplifies its potential to revolutionize clinical operations, improving both efficiency and patient care. However, the looming question remains: as AI advances, will it replace humans, and what risks does it entail? The shift is inevitable, as acknowledged by Houston Methodist, but the WEF's forecast offers a glimmer of hope. As we navigate the complex landscape of AI in healthcare, we must find the balance between the technological advancements of AI and addressing ethical and societal concerns. How will we shape this future, ensuring AI becomes a transformative ally rather than a threat? The journey has just begun, and the evolving partnership between humans and AI urges us to think about the question: How is AI changing the way we think about healthcare delivery?

References

Cann, O. (2018, September 17). Machines will do more tasks than humans by 2025 but robot revolution will still create 58 million net new jobs in next five years. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/press/2018/09/machines-will-do-more-tasks-than-humans-by-2025-but-robot-revolution-will-still-create-58-million-net-new-jobs-in-next-five-years/

Hut, N. (2023, July 1). Annual conference: Houston Methodist uses AI in virtual models for critical care, patient observation and more. HFMA. https://www.hfma.org/technology/artificial-intelligence/houston-methodist-uses-ai-to-establish-virtual-care-models/

khan, B., Fatima, H., Qureshi, A., Kumar, S., Hanan, A., Hussain, J., & Abdullah, S. (2023). Drawbacks of artificial intelligence and their potential solutions in the healthcare sector. Biomedical Materials & Devices, 1(2), 731–738. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44174-023-00063-2