AI could cut doctors' paperwork burden as global health worker shortage looms: Report

Artificial intelligence (AI) could help alleviate the burden of paperwork on doctors as the world faces a growing shortage of healthcare workers, according to a report by QuickBlox. The report highlights the widening gap between the number of healthcare workers available and the increasing demand for care. The World Health Organization warns that the world could face a shortage of 10 million health workers by 2030, with the issue expected to be particularly severe in regions already under strain.

Technology, particularly AI, can assist healthcare professionals by reducing non-clinical tasks, allowing doctors to focus more on patient care. Documentation and coding are identified as two areas where AI can make a difference. AI tools can prepare clinical documentation for doctors to review, rather than having them create notes manually, thus reducing some of the most time-consuming and exhausting aspects of a clinician's job.

Nate MacLeitch, CEO of QuickBlox, emphasizes that the current healthcare system cannot function due to the workforce gap, and reforms will fail without tools that ease the paperwork and administrative load. QuickBlox's Q-Consultation platform includes an AI-enabled scribe that drafts SOAP notes and suggests ICD-10 and CPT codes for clinicians' review. The report stresses that doctors retain control over the final documentation.

The potential benefits of AI in healthcare extend beyond time-saving. For instance, Kaiser Permanente's rollout of AI scribes across 600 offices and 40 hospitals has improved accuracy and allowed physicians to be more present with patients. The report argues that AI is not meant to replace medical professionals but rather to take care of repetitive tasks, enabling clinicians to spend more time with patients.

The report also addresses the problem from another angle, noting that patients are often directed to the wrong part of the healthcare system, leading to unnecessary appointments, repeated assessments, and added pressure on clinicians. AI can help both at the patient-end and the clinician-end, ensuring patients receive the right care and reducing the documentation burden on healthcare professionals as they provide that care.

Ultimately, the report's message is clear: AI's role in healthcare is not about replacing doctors but helping healthcare systems make better use of the existing workforce to meet future demands.