By Lisa Belisle, M.D., Ph.D., Medical Director for Integrated Primary Care
As a longtime family physician from Maine and a medical leader with Ovatient, I recently had the privilege of attending and presenting at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Family Medicine Experience (FMX) 2024 in Phoenix. The conference was a profound reminder of how rapidly our field is evolving, particularly in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). I would like to share some key takeaways that I believe will shape the future of family medicine and virtual care.
1. AI is Already Here – and It is Transforming Primary Care
One of the most striking realizations from the conference is that AI is not a future concept – it is already deeply integrated into our daily practice. In her presentation “AI & Family Medicine (101),” Dr. Nipa R. Shah highlighted that AI applications in healthcare range from low-risk, high-value uses like AI scribes and report generation to more complex applications in diagnostics and treatment planning. Dr. Shah, Professor of Family Medicine, and Chair of the Department of Community Health & Family Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville emphasized that AI is being used for risk stratification, clinical decision support, and image interpretation in primary care settings.
2. The Promise of AI in Diagnostic Support
Dr. Lisa Rotenstein’s session “Leveraging AI & ML for Diagnostic Support in Primary Care (201)” was particularly illuminating. Dr. Rotenstein, Assistant Professor at UCSF Health in San Francisco, highlighted how AI tools have significant potential in areas such as dermatologic diagnosis, diabetic retinopathy screening, and medication management. Dr. Rotenstein stressed that these tools do not replace physician reasoning but rather complement and enhance our diagnostic capabilities.
3. Addressing the Challenges of AI Implementation
While the potential of AI is exciting, it is crucial to approach its implementation thoughtfully. Dr. Shah outlined several key challenges we need to address, including:
- Cost considerations for developing, testing, and maintaining AI systems
- Integrating AI seamlessly into existing workflows
- Ensuring data privacy and security
- Addressing potential biases in AI algorithms
- Managing staff resistance and fears about job displacement
4. The Importance of AI Literacy for Medical Leaders
In my own presentation, “Leading into the Future,” I emphasized the importance of AI literacy for medical leaders. This aligns with insights from both Dr. Shah and Dr. Rotenstein, who highlighted the need for healthcare professionals to understand key concepts like machine learning, natural language processing, and the metrics used to evaluate AI performance (sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, etc.). As leaders, we need to be able to separate hype from real possibilities and guide our teams in the responsible adoption of AI tools.
5. The Human Element Remains Crucial
Perhaps the most important takeaway, echoed by all presenters, is that while AI will undoubtedly transform many aspects of our practice, the human element of care remains irreplaceable. Dr. Rotenstein particularly emphasized that AI should augment, not replace, the patient-physician relationship. As we integrate these technologies, we must ensure they allow us to focus more on meaningful patient interactions and personalized care.
AI’s Potential in Rural Health Care
As I recently wrote in a Doximity article titled “Unlocking the Potential of AI in Rural Health Care,” AI offers unique opportunities for improving healthcare delivery in rural settings. Drawing from my decades of experience caring for underserved communities in Maine, I believe that AI can help address challenges such as limited resources, geographic isolation, and clinician shortages. AI can serve as a “digital consultant,” providing rural physicians with instant access to expert knowledge and assisting with complex diagnoses.
Bridging the Access Gap: AI and Virtual-First Care
The potential of AI to increase medical access for rural patients resonates strongly with Ovatient’s mission. Just as AI can bring specialized knowledge and support to remote areas, our virtual-first primary and urgent care model is breaking down geographical barriers to quality healthcare. At Ovatient, we are leveraging technology to connect patients with healthcare professionals regardless of their location, much like how AI can bring expert-level insights to rural practitioners. This parallel approach – AI enhancing local care capabilities and virtual care expanding access – represents a powerful combination for addressing healthcare disparities in underserved areas.
Looking Ahead
At Ovatient, we are excited about the possibilities AI brings to virtual care, especially in underserved areas. Inspired by the insights from AAFP FMX and my own experiences in rural Maine, we are actively exploring how to leverage AI to enhance our virtual-first care model while maintaining the individualized touch that is at the core of family medicine. As we move forward, we are committed to:
- Investing in AI education for our team, following Dr. Shah’s recommendation to “learn to separate hype from real possibilities”
- Carefully evaluating AI tools for integration into our virtual care platform, using the performance metrics outlined by Dr. Rotenstein
- Collaborating with health systems to ensure seamless integration of AI-enhanced virtual care, particularly in rural settings
- Prioritizing ethical considerations and patient privacy in all our AI initiatives, addressing the challenges highlighted by both presenters
- Continually improving our care model to complement and enhance the benefits of AI in healthcare delivery
The future of family medicine is bright, and AI will play a significant role in shaping it. However, as emphasized throughout the AAFP FMX sessions and in my own experiences, it is up to us as medical leaders to guide its implementation thoughtfully and responsibly. At Ovatient, we are committed to harnessing the power of both AI and virtual care to expand access to high-quality healthcare. Let us embrace these technological advancements while keeping our focus on what matters most – providing compassionate, high-quality care to our patients, whether they are in urban centers or rural communities.
