The AI doctor will see you soon. We don’t have a plan for that
In the movie Elysium , set in the year 2154, Matt Damon plays Max Da Costa, a criminal lowlife trying his damndest to leave Earth. Up above, the wealthy elite live on a ring-shaped space station, where disease and poverty have been eradicated. Most of the population, however, still lives on Earth, and they are struggling to survive each day. They can only dream of ever making it to the space…
The year is 2154 in the movie Elysium. Matt Damon plays Max Da Costa, a criminal trying to escape Earth. Above him, the wealthy live on a space station free from disease and poverty. While most people on Earth struggle to survive, they can only dream of reaching the space station. Even in the movie's imaginary future, high-quality, AI-driven healthcare is reserved for the privileged few who have escaped Earth's struggles.
In reality, Sam, a man in his 50s, walks into his doctor's office with chest pain. The doctor starts by asking Sam about his symptoms and risk factors, followed by a physical examination. Depending on the findings, Sam may undergo additional tests like an ECG, blood test, or chest X-ray. Based on these data, the doctor diagnoses Sam and proposes treatment options. Today, these tasks are performed by human doctors, nurses, and providers who have undergone extensive education and training.
However, within the next decade, Sam may be visiting an artificial intelligence doctor for common healthcare needs and day-to-day management. This transition, called autonomous health, promises to make healthcare more convenient, accessible, and affordable. With fewer doctors available and healthcare costs rising, increasing automation is necessary to address the access shortages and rising expenses.
While this new medical landscape raises questions about safety, integration with human care, and the cost of implementing AI technologies, a framework can help evaluate and adopt these innovations. Four levels of autonomy in healthcare can provide a clear understanding of the capabilities and limitations of AI-driven systems.
Level 1, No Automation, describes the current state of healthcare, where doctors make diagnoses and treatment decisions for every patient, regardless of the condition. Level 2, Light Automation, involves automated assistance for human doctors and medical providers, similar to cruise control in a car. Level 3, High Automation, represents a more significant role for AI in diagnosis and treatment, while Level 4, Complete Automation, is a hypothetical future where AI handles most healthcare tasks.
Comparable to the Society of Automotive Engineers' standards for self-driving cars, these levels can create a framework for evaluating and implementing AI in healthcare, ensuring safety, clarity, and progress.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
