A wake-up call for physician-owned practices (Medical Economics)

AI is revolutionizing healthcare by enabling earlier disease detection and predictive analytics, but it also presents challenges that could threaten physician-owned practices. While AI offers efficiency, it raises concerns about over-reliance, privacy, dehumanization, and the potential for misuse by larger healthcare entities.

Physicians must tread carefully—using AI to enhance their expertise, not replace it. There’s a risk that patients may question physicians’ judgment if AI becomes the dominant decision-maker. Additionally, independent practices face increased vulnerability to data breaches due to limited resources for cybersecurity. Choosing ethical AI tools and maintaining strong data privacy measures are crucial to avoid patient trust erosion.