The phrase artificial intelligence (AI) was coined in 1965, when computer scientist John McCarthy used it to refer to the creation of intelligent machines. But it wasn’t until the early 1970s that AI was introduced to healthcare when a program using a powerful algorithm to diagnose illness was developed. Today, the use of AI adds value to the patient experience, but it’s unlikely that computers will ever replace human physicians. Let’s explore why.
How Robots Help Doctors
Medical AI began as a simple symptom checker but has grown exponentially in the number and types of applications it’s used for. Here are a few examples of how AI and computer-controlled robots are being effectively used in medicine:
- Analysis of employee health record (EHR) data
- Medication management
- Tracking patients’ physical activity levels
- Detecting conditions like skin cancer and eye disease
- Detecting tumors and other anomalies on imaging
- Predicting a range of common, high-risk diseases
- Performing surgery on animals and robot-assisted surgery on humans
AI in healthcare is also becoming increasingly popular to help automate the supply chain. According to mHealth Intelligence, robotics were initially designed to help supplies get from one room to the next or help steady a surgeon’s hand. Guided by GPS systems, small mobile units can deliver supplies from one room to the next to save a human a trip or two.
Daniel Theobald, cofounder and chief innovation officer of Vecna, a company that develops and applies robotics technology to logistics and industrial markets, says, “The biggest cost in hospitals that people don’t think about is logistics. It can take about a third of your budget just getting the stuff you need and getting it where it needs to be.” Robots in clinical settings are intended to improve and enhance the supply chain—ultimately making the nurse’s life easier.
“Nurses walk about five miles a day,” Theobald adds. “That’s about a quarter to a third of their time. Imagine what would happen if we could cut down on that walking and allow them to do their jobs more efficiently.”
AI Healthcare Predictions
The global surgical robots market is projected to reach $18.4 billion by 2027, according to research firm MarketsandMarkets. The advancement in technology will inspire confidence and drive demand.
One very particular prediction is that robotics-assisted technology will be implemented in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) that offer diagnostic, surgical, and preventive procedures.
As 5G becomes more and more accessible, telehealth and telesurgery will garner more popularity, depending on the procedure.
Additional procedure-specific robotics that will become more widespread include:
- Endoscopy bots: aid in endoscopies and prevent inconvenient hand tremors
- Microbot-targeted therapies: localize a drug or other therapies to a specific target site within the body
- Clinical training robots: made for medical students to mimic operations—complete with realistic-looking blood.
Potential Downsides to AI for Patients and Providers
Healthcare providers do not have to worry about job security, even as we continue to expand the use of robots in healthcare. There are several reasons why doctors cannot be replaced.
Patients Want the Human Connection
Patients see their healthcare providers at some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. They may be worried about a symptom or anxious about test results. The best physicians deliver medical guidance and treatment with care and compassion.
Patients want to know their doctor has the knowledge and training to help them, and the empathy to truly understand their perspective and have their best interests in mind. Computers can never duplicate that personal connection between a patient and a doctor they trust.
Medicine Is a Nonlinear Practice
Artificial intelligence functions correctly in a stable and predictable environment, but medicine is often described as nonlinear. A surgeon cannot predict how a procedure will go until they begin and see what’s happening with tissues inside the body. Then, they make decisions in the moment based on what they find. Critical thinking is a skill that cannot be duplicated by robots.
Some Tasks Are Impossible for Robots and Algorithms
Robots replacing doctors is simply not possible for many tasks and treatments. Even as we continue to develop more advanced technologies to benefit patients, there will always be some duties and responsibilities computers cannot do.
Computers are incapable of the intuitive reasoning physicians employ when evaluating information from multiple sources to make a diagnosis and create a treatment plan. They can’t read nonverbal cues that are often more insightful than words during physician-patient communication.
Paying attention to a patient’s body language can help a doctor sense if they are uncomfortable, distressed, distrustful. And these signs help physicians adjust their approach to help the patient feel at ease.
Also, as noted above, AI and robots can never replicate human kindness and consideration. An exceptional bedside manner truly makes the difference between a good and bad healthcare experience.
AI Does Not Account for Disparities
It’s also important to acknowledge that computer algorithms do not generally account for disparities in healthcare. AI programs can only use the data they receive, and as the saying goes: “garbage in, garbage out.”
Variables inputted for a single population may not reflect the experience of users from different racial and ethnic backgrounds who may have higher risk factors and unique rates of specific conditions and outcomes. These nuances are challenging to translate into simplistic computerized data. It’s up to doctors to make informed care choices based on their personal experience working directly with patients.
The Risk of Misinformation is High with Dr. Google and ChatGPT
Most people have checked their symptoms using a computerized program like ChatGPT. But depending on Dr. Google to diagnose a health condition is not ideal. A short list of symptoms is just one piece of the patient’s overall health, which is not sufficient to reach an accurate diagnosis. This often leads to a wrong diagnosis and needless scares for users who fear their condition is more serious that it actually may be.
It’s also true these programs tend to play into the human confirmation bias. When a patient believes they have a catastrophic illness, you can bet they’ll find a website that confirms it. They may self-treat with medications and methods that are inappropriate and unsafe.
Finding the Right Balance Between Robots and Humans
While robots and AI have their place in healthcare, robots replacing doctors is an unlikely prospect. The realistic scenario for how the two interact is that AI and robots are used as a complement to traditional care—rather than a substitute.
But the physician-patient relationship is likely to change significantly in the future. As patients grow more comfortable with AI, they can use computers for medical services best suited for technology. This can free up human providers to spend more face-to-face time with their patients—that’s a win-win for all.
