Have you ever walked into a doctor's office, only to feel ignored or misunderstood? The doctor is busy scribbling notes or typing away. He barely makes eye contact as he speaks with you. And when you walk out, you feel like he didn't actually listen, didn't seem to truly care about your concerns – or worse, completely misunderstood your issues. Does this scenario sound all too familiar?
Well, there might just be a better way. Let's explore how AI is stepping in to transform this all-too-common experience.
A Personal Experience: How AI Note-Taking Improved My Doctor Visit
Today, I walked into the office of Dr. Gordon, my GP. Knowing that I'm very much into technology and the future, he asked me if it was okay to test something new with me.
I did, of course, say: “Sure! Go ahead.”
I had no idea what he was referring to but I'm always open to discovering new things.
So, what did my doctor have in store for me? … The AI CoPilot from Nabla.
AI CoPilot: Your Doctor's New Best Friend
You're probably wondering what an AI CoPilot is.
At the most basic level, it's Artificial Intelligence that, and this is important, teams up with the doctor to work together on getting tasks done.
The CoPilot my doctor used was focused on taking notes during the consultation and summarizing it all at the end.
So How Does It Work?
Once my doctor had his computer microphone all set up, something magical happened. He actually sat back, looked me in the eye, and genuinely listened to my concerns. Can you believe it?
As we delved into our conversation about my health, there was this silent third party in the room, the AI, meticulously jotting down notes. Picture having an ultra-efficient, silent secretary right there with you. But here's the real beauty of my experience: my doctor wasn't hunched over his laptop, furiously typing away. No, his attention – his entire focus – was solely on me. How's that for a change?
The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.
– William Osler
I couldn't help but chuckle when, out of sheer habit, he started jotting something down.
With a self-deprecating laugh, he admitted: “Old habits die hard, I guess. I'm so accustomed to writing everything down.”
AI as Copilot: How AI Can Help Doctors Truly Listen to Their Patients
Many doctors … and patients … are nervous about AI.
My doctor, though, thinks differently:
This notetaking works the same way we doctors think and proceed during a consultation.For 20 years, I've had people coming in telling me that I need to use their tool but none has had a real impact on how I run my consultations.This note-taking and summarizing can truly change things. I could re-arrange my office and create a much nicer environment for my patients.
And there are plenty of other benefits of AI for you AND your doctor.
How an AI CoPilot Can Optimize Your Doctor's Visits for You
As a woman entrepreneur, time is of the essence … and getting the best healthcare possible. The addition of an AI copilot during consultations can give you that and more …
- Undivided Attention: Rather than being preoccupied with jotting down information on the computer or a notepad, the doctor can fully focus on you
- Quicker, More Engaging Consultations: The doctor no longer needs to split attention between you and their computer screen … giving you more time while spending less time in total
- Higher Accuracy: AI doesn't get tired or distracted, so it can catch every detail in your conversation with your doctor, which means no more missed or misinterpreted information
- Improved Diagnosis: Since the doctor can truly listen to your concerns, he is better equipped to make accurate diagnoses
- Personalized Treatment Plans: Your doctor can craft a personalized healthcare plan tailored to your unique needs and lifestyle, improving your health outcomes
- (Instant) Access to Your Health Records: Instead of hoping that the doctor understood all your challenges and your current health situation, you can ask your doctor to share the notes with you
- Permanent Record: The AI creates a thorough, accurate record of the consultation, ensuring nothing gets lost or forgotten.
- Easy Sharing with Other Specialists: If you consult with multiple healthcare providers, having an AI-generated summary can make sharing information across providers simpler. You don't really want to have to explain your medical history again and again
For us busy women entrepreneurs, an AI CoPilot in the doctor's office isn't just about novelty or convenience – it's about maximizing our health and longevity while minimizing time away from our business
The Perks of an AI CoPilot for Doctors
Doctors wouldn't use AI if they didn't see an advantage, but as Dr Gordon had pointed out, AI CoPilots for notetaking and summarizing can be a true game-changer.
Here are some of the benefits for doctors …
- Full Engagement: With AI CoPilot in the room, your doctor can give you their undivided attention, focusing on you and your concerns, rather than a notepad or the computer. They can finally do more of what they wanted to do when they became doctors: Help their patients with great empathy and make a true difference
- Improved Accuracy: The AI CoPilot is designed to capture every detail of your conversation with pinpoint accuracy … No more worrying about omitted symptoms, forgotten advice, or misinterpreted information
- Instant Summaries: At the end of every consultation, this AI genius provides a summary, ensuring nothing gets lost in translation
- Integration with Electronic Health Records (EHR): If the AI system is integrated with EHRs, it can automatically update your patient records, ensuring that specialists, pharmacists, … have access to the latest information, so they don't work in silos. We do have one body and mind even if it consists of many different parts, so having a more holistic approach is valuable for all involved
- Time Efficiency: Instead of doctors being tied down with administrative tasks, eating up around 49% of their day, and only having a meager 27% leftover for direct patient interaction, they get to flip the script. How, you ask? By letting AI handle the humdrum work of documentation. This not only saves a generous chunk of office hours but also liberates them from the 1 to 2 nightly hours spent updating EHRs after a long day [1]
- Reduce Doctor Burnout: Being freed of a large part of the administrative work, doctors might also burn out less often than the current 25 to 75% in some specializations [2] and enjoy more quality of life
More advanced AI systems can also provide …
- Support for Multilingual Interactions: Some advanced AI systems can understand and summarize consultations in multiple languages, so you might talk to your doctor in French or Spanish and the AI automatically gives the doctor everything in English
- Instant Notifications: They are capable of spotting and highlighting possible concerns or inconsistencies instantly, for instance, reminding physicians about possible medication interactions and allergies, or even bringing to attention pertinent medical history details during their conversation
- Multimodal Input: Advanced AI copilots might even handle images, other clinical tests, or wearable data in addition to voice, making the documentation more comprehensive and with that the foundation for doctors' diagnosis & treatments more effective
AI CoPilot is not just a tool, it's a game changer—enabling a more patient-focused approach, fostering better communication, and enhancing diagnosis accuracy. It's like having a third person in the room, but this one's all ears and memory!
One thing that most of the current notetaking & summary AI CoPilots for doctors steer clear of is the realm of diagnosis. Entering this territory would necessitate a labyrinth of legal certifications, including FDA approval in the United States and similar certifications in other countries in addition to having to comply with a host of additional medical and data privacy regulations.
While other companies are working on diagnostic AI, these AI CoPilots are primarily designed to alleviate administrative burdens, allowing doctors to focus on their core responsibilities. By handling tasks like note-taking and summarizing, they free up medical professionals to do what they love most: diagnosing and helping their patients.
Back to My Story …
Did the AI CoPilot at my doctor's office really work?
You bet it did! Picture this – as the doctor and I navigated through the routine of social security registration and payment, the AI notetaking companion was hard at work. It was artfully composing an accurate summary of our entire consultation, and here's the best – it was imitating the doctor's style perfectly!
My doctor even sent me a copy of the consultation notes! Now, I can easily review them and keep a closer eye on my own health journey. How empowering is that?
So, there it is … My real-life experience of how AI can enhance our healthcare journey. We are no longer passive participants in our health and wellbeing. With AI, our doctors can have a copilot who ensures that every concern, every symptom, and every health goal is accurately recorded and addressed. It's like having a personal health diary that is updated in real-time during our doctor's consultations. More importantly, our doctors now have the liberty to truly listen to us, instead of juggling between note-taking and patient care.
Imagine what this means for our health and longevity! I've been saying for at least a decade that in the future, doctors will become more like a coach guiding us on our health journey. And these copilots are a first step in that direction.
Definitely a game-changer, right? And the best part? This technology is here, and it's ready to revolutionize our healthcare experiences. So, if your doctor isn't using a CoPilot yet, show him or her this article to convince them of all the benefits for them … and you.
More Information
[1] Sinsky, C et al (2016). Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice: A Time and Motion Study in 4 Specialties
[2] Hazarika, I (2020). Artificial intelligence: opportunities and implications for the health workforce
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