In healthcare, build trust through innovation with generative AI

Artificial intelligence has the potential to improve patient care by relieving physician burden, lowering costs and enhancing patient outcomes. A recent report by McKinsey & Company found that AI could enhance care delivery, simplify administrative tasks, boost clinical productivity and more, unlocking more than $1 trillion in potential improvements in the industry through 2027. However, as healthcare organizations consider which generative AI-powered solutions to invest in, it’s important to remember that they are not all equal, says Robert Budman, MD, who is chief medical information officer with Nuance. “There are a lot of ‘shiny objects’ out there right now, in terms of generative AI,” says Dr. Budman. “The solutions with staying power, borne out by solid analytics, will help decrease the burdens physicians face, improve interactions with patients and boost access to care.” Along the way, he adds, the technology must also prioritize data security, privacy protection and workflow enhancements. To use generative AI responsibly in healthcare, Dr. Budman says enterprises should build trust around these kinds of innovations. Here’s what to look for when selecting new technology that patients and healthcare workers, alike, can count on. 1. It should improve — and not replace — interactions between physicians and patients. Too often, technology gets in the way of communication between a physician and a patient. To enter information into the electronic health record, for example, a doctor may spend more time tapping away on a computer than interacting face-to-face with the patient. Dr. Budman says a new generative AI solution called ambient clinical intelligence (ACI) can solve that disconnect. ACI uses voice-enabled AI to record and transcribe an encounter between a patient and doctor, capturing the patient’s full story in the form of a note. “If you ask patients about their experience with ACI, they’re like, ‘I just had the best doctor visit I’ve had in 10 or 15 years. My doctor cares about me again,’” he said. “And if you ask physicians, they say they’re able to listen, diagnose and treat patients, which is why they went into medicine in the first place.” 2. It should help to remove barriers that impede access to care. The United States is staring down a significant physician shortage. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) warns that by 2034, the country could face a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians, with demand for doctors outpacing supply. As noted by the AAMC, doctor shortages and lack of access are already posing serious threats to the nation’s health and well-being. In some parts of the country, physicians’ offices are overburdened and patients encounter wait times of weeks or even months for an appointment. Generative AI solutions can help address that problem by automating time-consuming tasks, such as writing patients’ progress notes, answering emails, renewing prescriptions and and other administrative duties. That, in turn frees up time in a physician’s day to treat more patients and reduce patient backlogs. Further, Dr. Budman says that tools like ACI are becoming an important perk for recruiting and retaining physicians. “Healthcare executives want happier doctors. And what we’re seeing with doctors who use ACI is they are more satisfied, they provide better care and that can result in improved outcomes as well as improved ratings.” 3. It should prioritize data security and privacy protection . A person’s health information is protected by the law, as is a healthcare system’s data. It’s critical that healthcare organizations talk through privacy protections, security policies and compliance issues with any potential vendor when considering a new AI application. These tools must be HIPAA-compliant and protect the confidentiality and integrity of patient data. “Reviewing the technology stacks, policies and contractual arrangements regarding data safety is critical if you hope to build a trusted partnership,” Dr. Budman says.   Nearly one-quarter of healthcare costs can be attributed to administrative tasks, such as documenting patient notes, filing claims and bills and seeking pre-authorization from insurance companies, according to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research. It doesn’t have to be that way, says Dr. Budman. “AI-powered solutions exist, right now, that can take on some of these laborious workstreams and allow doctors to be doctors,” he says. “When that happens, everybody in healthcare wins — especially the patient.” To learn more about AI-powered solutions, visit Nuance Communications , a technology pioneer with market leadership in conversational AI and ambient intelligence. A full-service partner trusted by 77 percent of U.S. hospitals and more than 75 percent of the Fortune 100 companies worldwide, Nuance creates intuitive solutions that amplify people’s ability to help others. Nuance is a Microsoft company.