Physicians Must Integrate AI Tech With 'Fibers of Humanity,' Doctor Says

Newsweek kicked off its Horizons Event Series Tuesday night by bringing together a panel of health care professionals to discuss how artificial intelligence can impact increasing burnout among doctors.

Horizons is a series of panels and speaker events designed to bring together new and diverse perspectives to discuss potential solutions for some of the key issues in the future—from health and wellness to climate and sustainability to technology and the workplace.

Tuesday's event brought together more than 100 professionals from health care and technology companies, medical professional groups and health care systems at the Newsweek office in One World Trade Center in New York City.

Newsweek Health Care Editor Alexis Kayser moderated a panel of experts to dive into what doctor burnout looks like, how AI can be used to ease that burden and potential new problems automation technology might present.

The expert panelists included Dr. Eric Williamson, the associate chair for radiology informatics and supervision of the Radiology Artificial Intelligence Program at Mayo Clinic; Dr. Ashley Beecy, the medical director of artificial intelligence operations at NewYork-Presbyterian; Dr. Christine Sinsky, the vice president of professional satisfaction at the American Medical Association; and Dr. Pete Clardy, the senior clinical specialist at Google Health.

Dr. Chris DeRienzo, the chief physician executive of the American Hospital Association, opened the event with remarks that highlighted the "alarming" rates of physician burnout and how emerging technology, when used correctly, can be the cure.

"Technology is increasingly core to our experience of health care," he said. "But it's also true that when we leave technology to its own devices, we run the risk of technology really being an orchestra without a conductor. But friends, I'm here to tell you this evening that all over this country, there's an increasingly diverse group of conductors who are using this technology to make some pretty spectacular music."

While AI has helped reduce time searching through electronic medical records and with inbox management via generated responses, DeRienzo said there are decisions to be made by physicians on how to balance harnessing the currently unknowable and potentially transformative power of AI technology with new and evolving risks of automation.

"Health care is, and will always be, a uniquely human experience," he said. "That's why we need these kinds of conversations. Because we cannot fail to thread the needle of technology with the fibers of our humanity."

During the panel, Dr. Beecy added that all the saved time can allow physicians to dive deeper into their work to provide more meaningful care.

"AI is not just for doing things faster, but it's doing things right and doing them in a better way," she said. "Physicians can tackle complex issues, they can actually cover preventative care. And I think this is going to improve the quality of care as well as the patient experience."

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As AI and other automated technology free up clinicians' time, there may be pressure for them to see more patients, thus increasing their workload and continuing the cycle of burnout.

Dr. Williamson explained that this saved time must be properly allocated to allow for physicians to do more "meaningful patient interactions."

"We know that's where joy comes from within the workplace, and we know that [for] people who are providing for patients, that's where they get their satisfaction," he said. "I honestly don't have a complaint about the length of my day. My complaint is what I'm doing with it. And there's an opportunity for us to fix that."

Newsweek will host another Horizons event next week, when Environmental Sustainability and Governance Editor Jeff Young leads a panel discussion with energy and technology experts on whether AI is a climate hero or villain.