When I first realized that artificial intelligence was on the verge of crossing into every area of our everyday lives, my impulse was to run the other way. But lately, I’ve embraced the reality of these machines that easily and swiftly pass the Turing test. I’m discovering how to put this remarkable intelligence to better use in my life while understanding its limitations. I’m also learning how artificial intelligence might be used in conventional and complementary healthcare practices.
Pullout: No single technology has ever inspired so much speculation. In a recent article entitled “Generative AI and the Future of Work in America,” McKinsey, the global consulting firm, estimated that about 30% of jobs worked today will be replaced by AI by 2030.
I see a bright side to McKinsey’s projection. The companies firing workers and “hiring” AI will have fewer employees on their payrolls and their profits will balloon. Some futurists feel that guaranteed basic income might finally come to pass. Elon Musk recently predicted that there will be universal high not basic income and that almost everyone will have access to more goods and services. The problem he anticipates is a lack of meaning not money. With AI taking over our jobs, many millions of us could have more free time and less stress, which could lead to longer lifespans and health spans. Most jobs in the health and wellness field, however, won’t go away, and AI should bring positive changes to both conventional and complementary practices.
Making the Most of Electronic Health Records
One of the many shortcomings of the medical system that almost any adult patient has experienced firsthand is the frustration of filling out long health history forms, only for the doctor to barely glance at them, let alone at more than a subpar summary of a long, messy EHR. If a patient has upper cervical pain, they initially may have seen their chiropractor or general practitioner and then an orthopedist and a physical therapist before ending up in a neurosurgeon’s office. Their and most patients’ EHRs will be comprised of medical histories gathered from across multiple websites and various formats—from handwritten forms to third-generation copies of X-rays and digital voice transcriptions. Already, AI platforms are trained to translate these unwieldy records into highly usable summaries.
One company, XCures, has trained an AI model to automatically gather medical records in any format, across myriad sites, and then extract, normalize, and restructure the data. Using Meta’s Llama AI model, Abstractive Health, Inc. condenses a patient’s record into a pertinent health summary in seconds. Both companies are 100% HIPPA compliant. AI can also be trained as a medical scribe to take accurate notes on appointments and streamline admin tasks, including scheduling and patient follow-ups.
Improving Diagnostics and Preventive Care
Other AI models use algorithms that recognize sequences and draw correlations from massive patient data, helping physicians make more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment plans. By identifying patterns—including lifestyle and genetic factors— across thousands of patient health histories, AI can identify potential risks to help practitioners anticipate future health problems, and then prevent them.
As AI technologies advance, we’ll see a groundswell of innovative applications across conventional and holistic medicine, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and more sustainable care. Something the industry has worked toward for years, but though the needed data might have existed it hasn’t been readily available or usable.
Upgrading Telehealth
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, long-distance healthcare has gained tremendous traction. Health insurance and Medicare now cover telehealth visits with conventional and holistic doctors and their patients using apps to meet “face-to-face.” AI chatbots can schedule appointments, answer FAQs, and ask routine questions about a person’s reason for making an appointment, freeing up physicians to care more personally for patients. Yes, these bots can be annoying as they don’t quite have it all together yet, but the technology is improving at lightning speed, and they soon will.
Motivating Patients to Achieve Health Goals
Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, said that he expects “AI to be capable of superhuman persuasion well before it is superhuman at general intelligence.” Altman is not alone in his prediction. AI health coaches might excel at motivating people to change their lifestyles and stay on track with recommended treatments and therapies.
Highlighting the Importance of Human Touch
Still, human touch—which includes not only physical touch but also more intangible personal connection—will remain the key to positive patient-doctor relationships and better outcomes. If AI helps their offices run more smoothly, health professionals will have the chance to make real connections with their patients. Ironically, the evolution of AI may give physicians, the tools and time to gain a deeper understanding of their patients so they can see and treat them as the unique individuals we all are.
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