There’s a problem with the current EHR systems in today’s medical practices. According to an Annals of Internal Medicine study, for every hour a doctor spends with her patients, she spends double the amount of time working on paperwork.
And that’s not where doctors’ time should be.
Maybe that’s something AI could change. And it might be coming sooner than you think.
Imagine a doctor walking into a room to meet with a patient. They spend minutes in conversation discussing problems and solutions. But instead of having to go back to her office to write everything up, what if she had an assistant in the room with her taking copious notes? What if the assistant had a name like Google Home, Assistant, or Translate?
We already use virtual personal assistants in our homes, conversing with them about all the things we do in our daily lives. Want the weather? Need to make travel arrangements? Want to add to your grocery list? Your virtual personal assistant is ready and waiting.
This technology steps beyond what’s available in your home, but it would work in much the same manner. What’s more, Google is so convinced this is the future, they’re building Google Brain - part of its Google AI division - around it.
This EHR AI-powered system would listen carefully to everything the patient and the doctor said, pulling out the useful and relevant material to record in the notes. Accuracy is critical because any mistakes could be risky, even deadly.
Still, having an assistant do the recording could shorten time spent back in the office, if not eliminate the need for sitting behind a desk altogether. Reviewing takes considerably less time than starting from scratch.
Of course, Google isn’t the only company that believes this is our future. Many companies are racing to the finish line to find ways to improve EHR.
Yes, the road ahead seems to be clearly defined. Artificial intelligence is no longer something for sci-fi movies. It’s about to become an integral part of our lives. With all its risks and rewards.
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