rush and no tapping keys while she described how her nasal congestion and drainage affected her job and her confidence. The note was clean and accurate after my minor edits, and it was completed immediately after the visit. The human connection was strong. That’ s the point. Technology should give us more face-to-face time, not less. As the ACP states, AI must“ complement and not supplant the logic and decision making of physicians”.
Precision Medicine: The Breakthrough That Inspires Me
AI-guided precision medicine that frees physicians from the administrative noise, the guesswork and the templated protocol, while freeing patients from the anxiety of uncertainty and the burden of fragmented care, is an intriguing vision of how technology can reshape our health care system.
Looking ahead, the exam room may feel different, but the goals should not. We will use AI to spot risk early, personalize therapy plans and coordinate care better, hopefully without drowning in paperwork. I had always been told,“ Don’ t treat the scan; treat the patient.” We have to recognize that as technology continues to evolve, it needs to be used in a way that improves patient care. And physicians need to be at the forefront of that decision.
Still, some things never change: empathy and listening. The instinct to reach out a hand when someone is scared. The careful pause before explaining a result. The promise that we won’ t let technology crowd out the conversation.
Technology and the Undervalued Physician
Despite our altruistic pursuits, I worry that we are setting the stage for technology to undervalue the very people whose skill and judgment make progress possible. When you start something new and learn the techniques, you are slower and prone to mistakes. As you practice, you develop ways to become better and faster. This is a natural human process. times actually increased by 3.1 % in 2023 compared to 2019. Assuming that technology reduced surgeons’ workload without proper data analysis was a poor policy decision.
A Future Where Innovation and Humanity Align
As I reflect on medicine’ s future, I hope that we do not need to choose between technology and humanity. We must keep remembering that while progress matters, presence matters more. We must let new tools free clinicians to be more engaged, not replace the relationship that defines healing. We must adhere to a code of conduct that prioritizes advancing humanity and ensuring that AI remains a tool for augmented care so we can push boundaries and maintain the heart of medicine along the way. References
American College of Physicians.( 2025, March 7). Letter to the Honorable David Schweikert regarding H. R. 238, the Healthy Technology Act of 2025. Washington, DC.
American Medical Association.( 2025, October 21). Augmented Intelligence in Medicine. https:// www. ama-assn. org / practice-management / digital-health / augmented-intelligence-medicine
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.( 2025, October 31). Calendar Year( CY) 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule( CMS-1832-F).
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.( 2025). An Artificial Intelligence Code of Conduct for Health and Medicine: Essential Guidance for Aligned Action. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https:// doi. org / 10.17226 / 172
Rhodes, H., & Murray, E.( 2023). Patient preferences for digital health versus faceto-face care: A systematic review of surveys and mixed-methods studies. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25: e45127. doi: 10.2196 / 45127
Dr. Higgins is a rhinologist in private practice at Kentuckiana ENT, a division of ENTCC, and President and Chairman of the Board of ENT Care Centers( ENTCC).
Financial and policy structures can complicate the delicate tension between progress and presence by failing to adequately appreciate the value of medical labor. The NAM Code of Conduct includes a specific commitment to“ Improve Workforce Well-Being,” recognizing that technology should reduce burnout, not exacerbate it. Yet, current policies often do the opposite. The pursuit of efficiency through technology is ironically being used to devalue the surgeon’ s expertise.
This problem is exemplified by the recent-2.5 percent efficiency adjustment implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services( CMS). This creates a perverse disincentive: the development of complex, value-driven technologies that shorten procedure times is penalized under the assumption that efficiency justifies lower compensation. Interestingly, a study using National Surgical Quality Improvement Program( NSQIP) data showed that overall operative
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