AI Could Help Doctors Spend More Time With Patients

Big news from the world of AI this week as OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, announced they're working closely with Epic, a major player in electronic health records globally. This partnership means that the AI will be able to access and understand patient information stored in these digital systems.

Think of it this way: when a doctor sees you, they have a lot of notes, test results, and history to review. Historically, this takes a fair bit of time. With this new integration, the AI can quickly go through all that information and help doctors ask better questions or get a clearer picture of your health, all before you even walk into the consultation room. It's about making the doctor's job a bit easier, so they can focus more on you, the patient, rather than sifting through endless digital files.

The goal isn't for AI to replace doctors, but to act as a super-efficient assistant. For example, a clinician might ask the AI to summarise a complex medical history or highlight any potential issues based on past records. This could free up precious time, potentially reducing wait times and allowing for more thorough consultations. While this particular integration is with a US-based system, these sorts of advancements often set a precedent for what might eventually become available in Australia.

For everyday Australians, this could mean more efficient visits to the doctor and perhaps even better-informed healthcare decisions by their medical professionals. For small medical practices, while the initial setup might seem daunting, the promise is a streamlined workflow, reducing the administrative burden on staff and allowing them to focus more on patient care. It’s an exciting step towards using AI to support, rather than replace, human expertise in a critical field like health.