Despite the rapidly increasing cost of healthcare, productivity in the industry remains stagnant. In nearly every other sector of the economy automation drives efficiency and lowers costs. In healthcare, regulators are creating roadblocks by restricting AI tools that improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficiency. Instead of preemptively limiting these technologies, AI should be allowed to compete with human providers and legacy systems.
The United States faces a growing physician shortage. Making the existing workforce more productive is essential. That means allowing autonomous AI tools in clearly defined use cases when performance exceeds human standards, and robust real-world validation data support deployment.
AI technologies can already outperform humans in many healthcare tasks. In diagnostics they are often both faster and more accurate than physicians. They can predict medical complications, personalize drug dosing, conduct routine but time-consuming follow-up calls, and automate the collection and organization of patient records. These are exactly the types of tasks that should be automated in a system struggling with rising costs and workforce shortages.
Justin Leventhal is a Senior Policy Analyst for the American Consumer Institute, a nonprofit education and research organization that advocates for consumers through evidence-based analysis and data. Follow Justin on X @JustinLeventhal.