Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Your Health Care

📌 What is AI?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is computer technology that can “learn” from large amounts of information.  In health care, AI helps doctors analyse scans, blood tests, or medical records to spot patterns that guide diagnosis, monitoring, or treatment.

👩‍⚕️ How AI Helps You
- ⏱ Saves Time – Handles routine tasks so doctors can spend more time with you.
- 📊 Health Monitoring – Wearables and apps can track heart rate, blood sugar, and more, alerting you and your doctor.
- 📝 AI Scribes – At places like Leichhardt General Practice, AI scribes (with your consent) record your consultation into notes, giving your doctor more face-to-face time.
- 🔍 Early Detection & Personalised Care – AI can sometimes spot small changes in scans earlier than the human eye, and suggest treatments tailored to your medical history and results.

❤️ Why Doctors Still Matter
AI is helpful but limited. It cannot: - Understand your full personal situation.
- Show empathy or provide reassurance.
- Safely judge complex or unclear medical cases.

Your doctor always checks AI results for accuracy. Sometimes AI makes mistakes (called “AI hallucinations”)—so it is a tool, not a replacement.

🛡️ AI Scribes at Leichhardt General Practice
- Used only with your consent.
- Do not store audio files.
- Notes are reviewed by your GP.
- Follow Australian privacy laws (Privacy Act 1988).
- Information is not sold or stored overseas.

✨ Take Home Message
AI in medicine can mean: - Faster test results and diagnoses.
- Better access to specialist care (even in rural areas).
- More personal time with your doctor.

But—your doctor’s expertise, empathy, and judgment are always essential.

References

·         RACGP: AI scribes in Medicine

·         Matthew DeCamp & Jon C Tilburt, The Lancet: Why we cannot trust AI in Medicine

·         Heidi Health: Privacy compliance