May 23, 2024- Discussion about artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to disrupt every industry including healthcare is everywhere we look, according to Cardinal Health. Generative AI (GenAI), a form of AI that uses algorithms to create new content such as text, images and videos, has gained considerable attention over the last 18 months for its potential to increase human productivity. Turning to healthcare, current and future applications of GenAI range from powering diagnostics, to improving patient engagement, to easing administrative burden.
As AI heats up in healthcare, administrators and clinicians are cautiously optimistic about its potential benefits. In a January 2024 Medical Group Management Association Stat poll, nearly 60% of practice leaders associated the implementation of AI with positive outcomes such as innovation and convenience. Medical group practice leaders viewed AI as a viable tool to help solve some of their biggest challenges such as automating and streamlining patient outreach, smart scheduling and front-office tasks, simplifying workflows and reducing documentation demands. In a recent American Medical Association survey, 41% of physicians reported feeling “both excited and concerned” about the potential of AI in healthcare. While many physicians recognized the power of AI to reduce documentation time and administrative burden, they also shared concerns about AI’s potential impact on the patient-provider relationship and patient privacy.