In the AI Era: Can We Preserve Humanity In Healthcare?

In the Age of AI, Will Doctors Still Be the “Human in the Loop”?

As a pediatrician, I have seen some of the most challenging times in a families lives unfold. On the other side, as a parent myself, I have been very grateful for the kindness from a doctor or nurse in some of the toughest times in my kids’ lives.

Whether it is talking to the father of an 11-year-old athlete who collapsed on the field to explain why it is important to stay and get the cardiac workup, convincing a pregnant 14-year-old to tell her mother who is waiting in the other room, or calming the parent of a 6-year-old newly diagnosed with diabetes, the human touch matters. As a physician, I will never forget the patient with the sore throat whose clinical picture may have pointed to viral pharyngitis. On a clinician’s hunch, we ordered blood tests that helped us diagnose leukemia and get her the right treatment.

Human clinicians are needed. Despite 1 in 3 adults using AI to get health information, it seems that patients still would like to discuss facets of healthcare with an HCP. In a recent survey of 500 people published in BMJ Digital Health & AI, 88.4% said a clinician could help them understand their care plan better than AI could. Our role as healthcare professionals (HCPs) is evolving, but we are still needed in the healthcare journey.

Trust in care does remain with the human in the room. But how can we strengthen it? Some possible actions:

Because when a patient needs to hear a difficult diagnosis, needs help navigating care with caregivers, needs to be convinced of a treatment, or simply needs a human to hold their hand, blended intelligence, AI and clinician together, will be essential. And that will be possible only through TRUST in the human relationship.