The Becker’s ASC Review article explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) and healthcare in general. Key points from the article include:
AI’s Growing Role in Healthcare: AI has seen a significant surge in healthcare over the past year, and surgery center leaders are closely monitoring its impact. The question is whether AI will make surgery centers more efficient or add complexity to their operations.
Cautious Adoption of AI in Healthcare: Healthcare is traditionally slow to adopt new technologies due to high stakes and stringent regulations. Slim margins in the industry mean that every technology investment, including AI, is highly scrutinized.
Potential Benefits of AI: Andrew Lovewell, CEO of Columbia Orthopaedic Group, expresses excitement about the future of medicine with AI but anticipates a gradual change rather than a rapid transformation. He suggests that as AI and machine learning become more common, their cost burden might lessen.
AI in Decision-Making and Patient Care: Brian Curtin, an orthopedic surgeon at OrthoCarolina, notes that AI and quantum computing are beginning to influence decision-making and patient care, indicating a shift in healthcare practices.
Operational Applications of AI: Sap Sinha, COO of Allied Digestive Health, mentions the use of AI in operational areas like machine learning in billing and conversational AI with patients, emphasizing the need for organizations to stay updated on these technologies.
Challenges with Data and AI Reliability: A major hurdle for AI in healthcare is the inconsistency in data gathering and reporting, coupled with years of sparse data collection. Nikhil Verma, a professor at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, points out that AI is only as good as the data it processes, emphasizing the need for large amounts of outcome-driven data.
Limitations of AI in Understanding Clinical Outcomes: Surgeons may track certain patient populations for research, but not all patients report outcomes, which limits the effectiveness of AI in understanding and predicting clinical outcomes.
In summary, while AI holds promise for enhancing efficiency and decision-making in ASCs and healthcare, its adoption faces challenges due to the need for reliable data, regulatory concerns, and the industry’s cautious approach to new technologies. The potential of AI in healthcare is significant, but its full realization will depend on overcoming these hurdles.