SmartBrief readers in March showed a particular interest in health care technology, reading stories about AI in medical practices, chatbots for health advice, preparing for a hospital cyberattack, and what to expect from the 2024 Change Healthcare cybersecurity event. The use of AI tools appears to be increasing among physicians but there are areas where the technology still needs refinement, news outlets pointed out. And with conflict overseas, hospitals are being cautioned to step up cybersecurity efforts to ward off attacks.
AI in the exam room
What happened: An American Medical Association survey showed that 81% of US physicians are using AI tools in their practices, a significant increase over the 38% who said so in 2023. Some respondents said it can alleviate burnout and support better clinical decision-making, but there are concerns about the potential loss of skills, patient privacy sensitivities and use of the tools to interpret complex medical results without physician oversight. The most common uses for AI included clinical care documentation and medical research summarization, according to a survey analysis in Healthcare Innovation.
What’s next: Former New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi wrote in a Healthbeat opinion piece that AI can serve as a bridge between health care discovery and delivery. Among medicine’s major challenges are “cures that don’t reach the patients most in need [and] prevention that never makes it into practice,” Chokshi wrote, but AI may be able to help with that. He gave the example of a patient who had a positive stool test for colon cancer but didn’t get a colonoscopy because he had lost his job and insurance. “Imagine an [AI] system that calls my patient in his native language, helps schedule his colonoscopy, and answers questions about the bowel prep,” Chokshi said. “Nurses and social workers can focus their precious time on more complicated cases, like helping my patient enroll in Medicaid.”
Chatbot pros and cons
What happened: The Associated Press reported on important points for patients to consider before using a chatbot like ChatGPT or Claude for medical advice. Recent improvements have been made to the technology, including greater personalization of information, but experts said the bots should never replace care and advice from a medical professional. Furthermore, data shared with chatbots isn’t subject to HIPAA protections, so privacy is a concern. And it’s possible for the platforms to hallucinate or provide unreliable information.
Still, they can offer more targeted, personalized information than a broad internet search, and that may inspire discussion and benefit the patient. “The alternative often is nothing, or the patient winging it,” said Dr. Robert Wachter of the University of California at San Francisco. “I think that if you can use these tools responsibly, you can get useful information.”
What’s next: OpenAI recently introduced a new version of its chatbot, ChatGPT Health, designed to use data from medical records, wearables and wellness apps to address people’s health questions. Other bots like Anthropic’s Claude offer similar features. The New York Times reported that Microsoft has introduced a tool for its Copilot platform that will let people share multiple provider records and integrate wearable data for a high-level picture of their health issues.
Cybersecurity concerns
What happened: The American Hospital Association cautioned hospitals to increase their vigilance after medical equipment company Stryker was targeted by a cyberattack. A Chief Healthcare Executive report said an Iranian hacking group claimed responsibility for the incident. John Riggi, AHA’s national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, said that in light of the war with Iran, US hospitals should prepare for potential disruptions, especially to their supply chains.
What’s next: The AHA recently released a report titled Protecting Care Delivery from Cyber Disruption to help health system leaders prepare for current risks. Ransomware is the most common and urgent threat to patient safety, Riggi noted at a HIMSS briefing. He cited examples of ransomware attacks delaying important surgeries and cancer treatments, underlining how seriously these incidents can threaten patient health. Reeves Regional Health CIO John Gresham said during the briefing that cyberattacks can target even third-party vendors and systems people wouldn’t necessarily expect. He explained how the deployment of a new technology platform exposed vulnerabilities in the hospital’s HVAC system that could be exploited by hackers.
Cyberattack aftermath
What happened: A Medscape analysis showed how the financial effects of the 2024 Change Healthcare cyberattack are still being felt by practices and hospitals. The data breach exposed the information of about 190 million people and caused billing and payment disruptions for months. About 40% of all health care claims nationwide were affected, and it became known as the largest US medical system security incident in history. Parent company UnitedHealth Group issued emergency loans to some practices, but many have had trouble repaying the funds.
What’s next: Many small, independent practices continue to feel the fallout. Pennsylvania pediatrician Dr. Christine Meyer said in the Medscape article that her practice is still “a million dollars in the hole” and surviving on large loans, credit cards and retirement funds. New Jersey pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Catherine Mazzola has had to take similar steps. Both accepted UnitedHealth emergency loans, but some practices have been surprised by the short repayment deadlines. “It used to be you saw a patient, you submitted a bill, you worked hard, and you would get paid,” Mazzola said. “And then in February of 2024, we learned how fragile this digital system is.”