How AI is bringing humanity back to healthcare

The most impactful AI adoption at Digital Health Week 2025 wasn't diagnostic algorithms or predictive models. It was something simpler, AI that takes notes.

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Several companies in this space (Heidi Health, as an example) are experiencing genuine growth, securing significant funding after gaining official approval for health-related note-taking.

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Automated note-taking might seem modest for artificial intelligence, especially when AI models can pass medical licensing exams with flying colours. But this technology represents something more significant than technical prowess, it's returning the most valuable resource in healthcare back to where it belongs.

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The 15-minute appointment

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With a typical GP appointment you might have waited weeks to get in and when you finally sit down to explain what's been worrying you your doctor is typing, glancing at a screen. Clicking through fields.

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They're listening, but they're also performing a second job simultaneously by documenting everything for the medical record, insurance requirements, follow-up care, and a dozen other administrative necessities.

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Those 15 minutes aren't really 15 minutes of doctor-patient interaction. They're 15 minutes of a three-way conversation between you, your doctor, and a computer system demanding constant attention.

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AI scribes change this dynamic fundamentally. They listen to the conversation, understand the context, and generate the necessary documentation. The doctor's attention stays where it should be… on you. Questions become more thoughtful. The human connection that's supposed to be at the heart of healthcare suddenly has room to breathe.

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It allows doctors to focus on the patient relationship and communication. The appointment slot becomes actually useful for what it's meant for.

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AI tools open new possibilities for hyper-personalised care. Imagine AI that learns your medical history, communication preferences, and health literacy level, then helps your doctor tailor explanations specifically for you. Or systems that analyse patterns across your data to surface insights your clinician might miss, delivered in ways that account for your individual context and needs. This philosophical change requires not just new technology but new ways of thinking about how technology serves healthcare.

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AI passes the medical bar

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AI performance in medical contexts has reached remarkable levels. OpenEvidence AI has become the first AI in history to score above 90% on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), which is substantially higher than the pass threshold around 60% for human practitioners. These models have ingested and synthesised vast amounts of medical literature, research, and clinical data.

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Yet raw knowledge isn't the bottleneck in healthcare. Compassion, communication, and human connection are what patients desperately need more of. 

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The medical knowledge base is growing at an impossibly rapid pace that leaves even the most dedicated practitioners struggling to keep current. AI can help manage this flood of information. But the patient sitting in front of the doctor doesn't need an encyclopedic recitation of the latest research. They need someone who listens, who understands their concerns, who can translate complex medical concepts into language that makes sense for their specific situation.

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Patient-centered technology

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For years, digital health tools were accused of making healthcare less human, more transactional, more distant. Computers got between doctors and patients. Apps tried to replace conversations. Data analytics reduced complex human experiences to numbers in a spreadsheet.

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Now, it’s technology creating space for more humanity in healthcare. AI notetakers handle the administrative burden. Analytics tools surface the right information at the right time so clinicians don't have to hunt for it. Patient apps provide education and support between appointments, making those precious face-to-face moments more focused and productive.

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This represents a fundamental shift in how we think about digital health. The focus moves from replacement to augmentation, from automation to empowerment.

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The human touch

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The most powerful application of artificial intelligence in healthcare might not just be the ability to process vast amounts of data or identify subtle patterns in medical imaging, but the simple act of giving caregivers back the time and attention to actually care.

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The revolution in healthcare technology isn't about replacing the human element. It's about amplifying it and removing the barriers that prevent it from flourishing. From what I saw at Digital Health Week, we're finally moving in the direction from systems designed around institutional needs to systems designed around human experiences.

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