A cursory inspection of the health professions literature reveals a burgeoning presence of articles discussing the ways in which artificial intelligence (AI) can be integrated productively in the relam of health care. For example, Barwise and co-investigators in the March 2024 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association assert that inpatients with language barriers and complex medical needs suffer disparities in quality of care, safety, and health outcomes. Although in-person interpreters are particularly beneficial for these patients, they are underused. Consequently, this research team plans to use machine learning predictive analytics to identify patients with language barriers and complex medical needs to prioritize them for in-person interpreters. They believe that such efforts are the first study that elicits stakeholder perspectives on the use of AI with the goal of improved clinical care for patients with language barriers.
On the mental health care side of the ledger, a paper by Dakanalis et al in the February 2024 issue of Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking examines the potential of AI to revolutionize mental health care. The text discusses the rapid evolution of AI, particularly in image analysis for early physical health diagnoses, and its promising applications in mental health, including predictive analytics for various disorders. The article advocates for AI as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for human involvement in mental health services.
Abadir and Chellappa in their article in the February 2024 issue of The Journals of Gerontology: Series A Biological Sciences & Medical Sciences view the integration of AI as a potentially transformative force. The future will require multidisciplinary collaboration among clinicians, AI engineers, and key stakeholders, including patient advocacy groups and older adults, to develop solutions that address the complex nature of aging effectively. A course is charted for an upcoming special issue in The Journals of Gerontology on AI-enabled wearables and sensors for older adults.