Medicine 2.0: Shaping the Healthcare Industry With AI

Author: Vivian Pham

As artificial intelligence (AI) expands globally, there is an ongoing debate on the
impacts of it on medicine. Picture this: Laura, a 30-year-old woman, walks into her
local pharmacy only to be greeted by a robotic arm. It offers to assist her as she
provides her medications. Within 5 minutes, an orange medicine container appears in
front of her, containing her prescription. After she leaves with her pills, she ponders
on her interaction with the machine. She’s astonished by the fact that a mechanical
arm was able to deliver her prescription a third of the time than a human pharmacist
would. However, she’s worried about the safety of her medical information.

The healthcare industry, home to 18 million American workers, is starting to depend
on this technological advancement. Many workers spend significant time completing
mundane tasks such as paperwork, taking vital signs, or organizing medical supplies.
AI can help perform these everyday jobs, sparing time for human employees.
Furthermore, a study done by Syneos Health Communications found that 64% of
patients are comfortable using an AI interface that emulates a human nurse. These
“nurse-like” bots can answer health-related questions, forward reports or data to
doctors, and assist patients in scheduling medical appointments.

Although artificial intelligence has contributed so much to healthcare, a widespread
debate is currently happening about whether or not this technology should be deemed

ethical. According to data collected by Challenger, Gray and Christmas, AI had caused
4,000 job losses in the U.S. in May 2023 alone. Additionally, David Dranove, a
professor of strategy at the Kellogg School of Management, claims, “Doctors will not
be replaced by AI, but they may not directly profit from it either.” Although it is
unlikely for artificial intelligence to “replace” human workers entirely, questions may
arise regarding the benefits and salary of medical professionals. Moreover, many
people are concerned about their health record’s privacy and security. Since these
documents are highly confidential, hackers and manipulators tend to aim for them.

In retrospect, AI integration in medicine can revolutionize the current state of
modern-day healthcare. Let’s bring it back to Laura— her encounter with the robotic
apparatus demonstrates AI’s potential to incorporate itself within the healthcare
industry. Still, it also shows how people are ethically concerned about medicine’s
affiliation with AI such as human replacement with artificial intelligence and security
of their personal information. The potential that AI holds may be exciting for the
future of healthcare, just remember to keep up with your daily dose of ethical
dilemmas.

References:

The potential for artificial intelligence in healthcare

Will AI Eventually Replace Doctors?

AI eliminated nearly 4,000 jobs in May, report says

Drawbacks of Artificial Intelligence and Their Potential Solutions in the Healthcare
Sector

The benefits of AI in healthcare

5 medical challenges that can be solved with AI in healthcare