How Artificial Intelligence is Improving Healthcare

Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers innovative solutions to enhance patient care, streamline operations, and improve clinical outcomes. An aging population, increased demand for care, and a shortage of providers necessitate additional support, and AI is quickly meeting this need. Leading institutions such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Johns Hopkins have invested in AI technology to optimize care. Still, some healthcare organizations may hesitate to leap due to cost, reliability, security, or other concerns.

Read on to learn more about the pluses and minuses of integrating AI into healthcare programs, the driving forces behind AI adoption, and common apprehensions and misconceptions about AI integration.

Healthcare Transformation Through AI

AI integration with healthcare programs is accelerating both in the U.S. and around the globe. A 2024 McKinsey survey reported that more than 70% of respondents, including payers, providers, and healthcare technology and services groups, are pursuing or have already implemented generative AI capabilities. Several factors are driving this swift adoption, including:

• Increasing patient volumes and complexity of chronic care: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that chronic diseases, affecting roughly 129 million or 60% of Americans, are the leading cause of U.S. illness, disability, and death. The prevalence of diabetes, heart disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and other chronic conditions call for efficient management strategies to sustain the increased care and support those patients require. AI can be helpful in chronic care management (CCM) programs in various ways, from monitoring patient data and predicting health trends to assisting with follow-ups, reminders, and check-in practices.
• Demand for around-the-clock accessible healthcare services: Chronic care patients can experience urgent health needs anytime. As such, Medicare and Medicaid require providers to offer 24/7 access to care for their patients to bill under the CCM code. AI-powered virtual assistants are available day and night to address inquiries, provide medical advice, and escalate to a human clinician if needed. *AI does not replace clinicians and patients are also able to opt-out
• Pursuit of Operational Efficiencies and Cost-Effectiveness: By automating administrative tasks, streamlining workflows, and minimizing errors, AI can reduce costs for healthcare systems while maintaining or even improving the quality of care. Additionally, predictive analytics in AI-integrated remote patient monitoring (RPM) systems identify health trends and anomalies to potentially prevent serious medical events from occurring.

Addressing Concerns About AI in Healthcare

Despite its advantages, AI’s integration raises some concerns:

• Loss of human touch: Health is a defining factor of being human, and some fear that AI virtual assistants will depersonalize care. However, AI is not a replacement, but rather an augmentation for human care. AI virtual assistants can address patients quickly and triage numerous duties, escalating to a human clinician when outside of their scope of abilities. Clinicians remain central to decision-making and empathetic patient interactions.
• Reliability and accuracy: AI systems follow established protocols based on their programming, minimizing errors in various tasks. For instance, researchers from Duke Health published a 2023 study showing that three artificial intelligence (AI) models trained on data from thousands of surgical cases were 13% more accurate than human schedulers in predicting the necessary operating room time for each procedure. These AI models are now implemented across all Duke University Health System operating rooms.  
• Data privacy: Security and information privacy are among the most popular reasons for resisting AI adoption. However, AI-powered RPM systems must ensure compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), enforced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Additionally, HITRUST, a widely recognized security framework, provides an extra layer of security best practices for many AI-powered RPM models. This security is especially important when handling sensitive patient data via third-party platforms. A successful remote healthcare management program that fosters patient trust relies on secure transmission, encryption, and robust cybersecurity measures.

Merging AI with Human Expertise

The best AI-RPM models exemplify the synergy between AI and human interaction in healthcare. For example, AI can enhance contact center efficiency, elevate patient experiences, and allow healthcare professionals to focus on complex cases. Important aspects include:

• Automated scheduling and callbacks: AI reduces missed calls for more effective scheduling.
• Enhanced patient experience: AI ensures prompt, around-the-clock patient response and seamless transition to human agents as needed.
• Top-of-license focus: AI centers on straightforward, repetitive tasks to allow clinicians the space to focus on more complex care.

Common AI-Powered Tasks and Workflows

Healthcare organizations can leverage AI in many ways to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and improve patient outcomes. This includes being able to opt out. AI is not making the choices of our patients harder one way over the other. These processes include:

• RPM non-adherence: AI detects missed vital readings and initiates outreach to assist with problem-solving.
• RPM onboarding: AI guides patients through device set-up, facilitates initial readings, and responds to frequently asked questions.
• CCM intake: AI automates intake questionnaires and verifies medication lists.
• Monthly RPM check-ins: AI conducts monthly check-ins helping patients feel supported.
• CCM assessments: AI collects assessment data, tracks condition changes, and advises next steps.

Outcomes of Meaningful AI Engagement

A fruitful AI approach can enrich the patient experience and increase engagement in numerous ways, including:

• Increased adherence: AI reminders increase patient adherence to their treatment plans.
• Judgment-free zone: Because people can be more comfortable and less fearful of judgment from AI interactions, they may be more likely to give honest responses. According to the Talkdesk U.S. Consumer Healthcare Survey, nearly 66% of U.S. patients with sensitive health issues are more comfortable making appointments with chatbots than with staff.
• Emotional and social support: Patients express appreciation for AI interactions and often chat beyond their vitals, discussing their lives and stressors.

AI and virtual assistants are an increasing presence in healthcare to a positive effect, improving accessibility, efficiency, and patient engagement. While concerns about the loss of the human element, accuracy, and data security persist, AI is intended and designed to complement, not replace, human care. As adoption accelerates, balancing AI with human expertise will be central to improving patient confidence and trust and delivering high-quality healthcare.

To learn more about RPM devices and CCM through Nsight, click HERE to schedule a demo today. Whether you are a patient or provider looking to learn more about RPM, we would love to hear from you.