NEVADA VIEWS: Improving outcomes and access with AI
In the health care industry, technology and innovation save lives. Whether it is innovative treatments and cures produced by the biopharmaceutical industry or the most advanced MRIs that detect minute details that are key to diagnosing various diseases, technology has always played a critical role. However, no technology has as much potential to impact the patient experience as artificial intelligence.
Our fears of AI are nothing new, as evidenced by such ’80s classics as “WarGames” and the Terminator movies. What’s new, however, is generative AI, which can intelligently respond to questions, analyze data and make recommendations. We can now create “AI agents” that complete tasks on-demand, responding to natural language speech and leveraging data to personalize the patient experience. As an AI agent is available 24 hours a day and never calls in sick, it can perform tasks reliably and consistently.
AI is starting to have an impact on medical care. Ambient documentation can now listen to your doctor visit, creating notes for the physician, allowing him or her to focus on the patient, rather than the computer screen. AI agents can help a patient schedule an appointment or ask questions about procedures or bills. AI agents can follow up with insurance companies on denied claims, speeding up cash flow for providers. AI agents can predict supply and staffing needs, reducing the need for canceled surgeries.
The health care industry has long collected data but has struggled to fully realize its potential. Electronic health care records have provided an incredible repository of information about each patient’s medical history, and health information exchanges allow providers to share this information. Generative AI has the potential to leverage all of this data to make personalized care and precision medicine a reality. In addition, AI will help empower patients to have better control over their own care and medical information.
While there are concerns that the rise of AI and AI agents will impact jobs, the reality is that Nevada is experiencing a severe shortage of health care workers, in particular nurses and doctors. Anything that an AI agent does to streamline their jobs by removing manual or non-value-added tasks allows them to spend more time with patients and provide the best possible experience. Reducing administrative burdens will also go a long way to reducing the cost of medical care.
AI is not without risks and challenges. But I am confident that if medical providers approach this technology with an open mind, they will see the opportunities to leverage it to improve patient care.
As a professor and technology strategist, I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with students and providers to explore AI opportunities. The work we’re doing is just the beginning. With the right balance of innovation-friendly policies and ethical oversight, Nevada can lead the nation in showing how technology not only fills gaps but can also help us create a stronger, more equitable health-care system for all.
Brian Rosenberg is an adjunct professor at the UNLV School of Public Health.