The Unintended Consequences of Technology

Next time you’re in a public place, take a moment to observe your surroundings. Notice how many people are engrossed in their phones, their heads down and attention diverted from what’s happening around them. This is one of the unforeseen consequences of technology: despite its intention to connect us to the world, it often distracts us from our immediate environment.

The Impact on Healthcare

This technological distraction has also had a profound impact on healthcare. Over the past decade, the increasing regulatory burden and administrative tasks imposed on doctors, nurses, and radiologists have taken a significant toll on those dedicated to caring for others. The effects of this have been well-documented, with rising job dissatisfaction and burnout rates, staffing shortages, and the erosion of the doctor-patient connection.

A New Era in Healthcare Technology

As a technologist working on some of the most complex problems in healthcare, it’s lamentable to acknowledge that, despite our best efforts, technology has struggled to restore the joy of caring for patients while providing a more connected digital experience. However, the introduction of Generative AI (GPT) has brought about a significant and positive disruption in healthcare, with gains that will only continue to grow as this innovation is applied to the most pressing problems in the field.

The Real Story of Ambient Intelligence

There’s a lot written about technology curves and AI in healthcare, but I want to share the story of how ambient intelligence was born. Some of us are old enough to remember the original Star Trek series, where a computer would listen to conversations and provide guidance as needed. This concept, once considered science fiction, has become a reality. During a meeting with Epic, we discussed making healthcare more intuitive, like the AI in Star Trek. This challenge sparked a new journey, and we embarked on creating ambient intelligence.

Charting a New Course in Healthcare Technology

Ambient intelligence relies on two crucial variables: accurately transcribing conversations between doctors and patients into text and then converting those transcripts into clinical notes. In 2014, we began working on this challenge, despite the lack of large language models, limited patient data, and siloed systems. We started a research program to improve speech recognition for ambient conversational medical speech, which was then plagued by a 50% word error rate.

The Dawn of a New Era

The introduction of GPT marked a significant turning point. Overnight, the scaling laws of AI changed, with major technological gains happening four times a year. We leveraged this new AI to fine-tune our models, customize output, and improve outcomes. With real-time feedback from clinicians, we were able to identify areas for improvement and fine-tune the experience.

The Future is Now

The future we once considered science fiction is now a reality. Ambient listening has become the norm, and we release AI improvements weekly to our speech and listening technologies. We’re witnessing a massive pivot towards a new form of user experience, combining natural interaction and real-time intelligence.

Trust Above All Else

No conversation about generative AI should happen without discussing responsibility. Key responsible AI standards, such as fairness, reliability, safety, privacy, inclusiveness, and transparency, must be at the forefront of every discussion. AI is a powerful tool, and data is the energy driving it; therefore, everyone handling it must be properly trained and aware of potential unintended consequences.

Creating High-Value Use Cases

The real test of building outcomes-based technology is whether it empowers individuals to be their best selves. We carefully track the performance of our solutions to ensure they’re living up to their promise and exceeding expectations. I recommend that anyone advancing an AI agenda should do the same, as this is the path to advancing human abilities and improving the healthcare ecosystem.

The Results

We’ve seen powerful outcomes reported by the people we serve, including:

• 70% improvement in work-life balance for clinicians and reduced burnout and fatigue
• 80% reduction in cognitive burden
• 5 minutes saved per clinician per encounter
• 93% of patients saying their physician is more personable and conversational

Learn More

As we continue to push ahead, refining our models and working with healthcare professionals, we’re committed to delivering the best technologies for those dedicated to helping others. We’re just at the beginning of our journey, and we will relentlessly innovate to streamline documentation, surface information, and automate tasks for clinicians worldwide.

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About the Author

Joe Petro is the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Health & Life Sciences (HLS) Solutions and Platforms, which develops integrated healthcare experiences that provide greater access to care, enhance the clinician-patient relationship, and improve outcomes.