Perspectives

He compared the use of AI in health care to technological advances that have occurred in aviation. Once there were two pilots in the cockpit, navigating with radio-based systems and hundreds of dials and gauges. Now there still are two pilots, but they rely on massive amounts of data interpreted by GPS, advanced weather models, and equipment monitoring systems to navigate and fly more safely than 50 years ago.

“AI isn’t going to eliminate the need for doctors anytime soon, just like we wouldn’t want to go back to flying the plane like we used to in the 1950s,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have teams that understand innovation as it applies to health care. I’m looking forward to seeing where we’re going with it.”

UPMC in Central Pa. already employs various applications of artificial intelligence, and it’s expected that its use will expand in the future, improving patient care while helping to reduce burnout among staff members.

“AI will play an important role in revolutionizing health care now and in the future,” said Dr. Salim Saiyed, vice president and chief medical officer for UPMC in Central Pa.

AI currently is used to help manage large quantities of data, making it easier for physicians to view and process information on which to base clinical decisions. AI algorithms are routinely used in radiology to aid clinicians and improve clinical decision support, diagnosis, and ordering, Saiyed explained.

Using AI to perform these tasks saves time and money while giving providers a better understanding of the overall condition of their patients and of the many factors that contribute to complex health conditions.

Another role AI currently plays is improving outcomes by predicting which patients are at highest risk for developing certain conditions. The program, from Epic EHR, is used in emergency departments, hospitals, and clinics to identify patients at high risk for developing serious conditions such as sepsis. Having that information enables providers to begin treatments such as administering antibiotics sooner, improving outcomes for patients.

UPMC in Central Pa is in the process of integrating ambient AI technology with electronic health records in a move intended to relieve burnout for physicians and nurses, according to Saiyed.

The technology, which can monitor and document conversations between patients and providers, eliminates the need for providers to manually keep records of those communications and allows them more time to spend with patients.

The health care system also is looking toward AI to automate health care system processes and routine tasks such as scheduling appointments, following up with patients, and refilling prescription orders.

“This frees up time for doctors and other clinicians to focus on patients and engage in other complex tasks,” Saiyed said.

The use of AI is not without concern, however, Saiyed noted, particularly in its potential for bias. Known as “algorithmic bias,” this occurs when health care systems depend on software powered by algorithms that contain racial biases.

Relying on those algorithms, which can be faulty if they are built on biased rules and data sets that are not reflective of the overall patient population, can reduce the effectiveness of care for certain groups of people, or even result in harm.

For instance, studies have shown that biased medical algorithms in some cases resulted in skewed wait lists for organ transplants, putting Black patients lower on the lists than white patients despite a much higher rate of kidney failure among Black patients.

“That type of bias, even though it’s unintended, is very concerning in health care,” Saiyed said. “It’s very important to ensure that AI algorithms are developed and tested using diverse patient populations and data sets.”

Generally, however, AI has been shown to be useful and beneficial in its many health care applications.

“AI isn’t perfect, but it will continue to change and improve health care in many ways,” Saiyed said. “I’m excited to see what’s in store for the future.”

Nested