Your Doctor Might Already Be Using AI, and Nobody's Checking If It Actually Works
Hospitals are rolling out AI agents named Art, Penny, and Emmie. They're writing notes, sending bills, and talking to patients. But who's making sure they're getting it right?
The next time you visit your doctor, there's a growing chance that an AI is involved in your care, and you might not even know it.
At HIMSS, one of the biggest health tech conferences in the world happening this week in Las Vegas, every major tech company showed up with new AI "agents" for hospitals. These aren't just chatbots. They're AI systems that actively do things in the medical world.
Epic Systems, the company behind the software most American hospitals use, just launched three new AI agents. "Art" helps doctors write medical notes faster. "Penny" handles billing and fights insurance denials. "Emmie" talks directly to patients, answers their questions, and helps them book appointments.
Oracle built an AI agent that covers 30 medical specialties, drafting notes and even suggesting what doctors should do next with their patients. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft all announced their own healthcare AI tools at the same conference.
Here's the problem: nobody seems to be thoroughly testing whether these AI agents are actually getting things right. When an AI writes a doctor's note, is it accurate? When it suggests a next step for a patient, is that suggestion safe? When it talks to patients directly, is it giving good advice?
The healthcare industry is moving incredibly fast on AI adoption, but the validation and safety testing isn't keeping up. It's a bit like letting a new drug hit the market before finishing clinical trials.
As reported by STAT News.
Source: STAT News
Sponsored