As the adoption of artificial intelligence increases, its applications in the healthcare industry expand as well. While AI is being used in areas like predictive analytics and medical device maintenance, AI-powered virtual assistants are stepping up as one of the most promising tools for making care delivery better. They are currently reshaping how the industry views the traditional role of medical assistants.
In this article, Volodymyr Andrushchak, Data Science Team Lead at Lemberg Solutions and Ph.D. in Data Science, explores the benefits that AI-powered virtual assistants bring to healthcare professionals and patients.
AI-powered virtual assistants. What are they?
AI-powered virtual assistants are designed to serve as digital helpers capable of handling a wide range of tasks. Depending on their specific area of focus, these assistants can be fine-tuned and trained to work using a tailored knowledge base. For example, if a healthcare professional needs to diagnose a disease, a healthcare-oriented assistant can provide support based on relevant data and treatment protocols.
Sometimes, AI assistants are confused with AI chatbots and AI agents. However, they are not the same — even though the terms are often used interchangeably. The key difference lies in their capabilities. AI chatbots are usually great at helping with simple and repetitive tasks; for example, scheduling appointments or answering simple questions. As for AI agents, they are more like digital coworkers used for complex tasks who act more independently. For instance, they can automatically update patient information or schedule follow-ups.
AI assistants, unlike other models, are more sophisticated than chatbots but less autonomous than AI agents. They can understand structured data, such as vital signs and lab results, and unstructured data, such as electronic health records, clinical treatment protocols, and clinical notes. These capabilities allow them to understand queries in context. When trained properly, they can provide reliable answers to questions such as, “What is the average treatment duration for patients in our hospital?”
To work effectively, AI assistants must be integrated into healthcare organizations’ existing systems, such as electronic health records or scheduling systems. Once set up, they bring many advantages to the table.
Ways AI assistants empower healthcare
The main task of any AI assistant is to simplify life for healthcare professionals and patients. As the healthcare industry continuously seeks to provide more efficient care, AI tools can play a significant role in this process.
Deliver real-time support for clinicians
For healthcare professionals, AI assistants can serve as a second opinion, especially when they are dealing with complex cases. These tools are effective in identifying human errors, such as overlooked parameters or missed questions.
In everyday practice, AI assistants can be used in diagnosing diseases. When properly developed and implemented, these tools only need patient data — and from there, they can identify the disease, understand what treatment protocol should be used, and suggest the next steps. For example, a healthcare professional might identify a skin disease using a computer vision-based app; based on that information, an AI assistant can then suggest the appropriate procedure and prepare a summary report.
One of the most valuable uses of AI assistants is in supporting patient treatment. They can help identify medication-related issues, allowing healthcare providers to prevent incidents involving harm caused by medication. For instance, when a patient is prescribed a new medication, an AI assistant can monitor the patient’s vital signs and issue an alert if something goes wrong. Or if a healthcare professional has hesitations about a specific medication, they can ask an AI assistant for additional information to make a more informed decision.
Notetaking is another key reason to implement an AI assistant in healthcare. How does it work? During a conversation between a patient and a doctor, the AI tool listens and generates structured notes based on the discussion. Some AI assistants can even suggest potential diagnoses and offer different treatment options. This capability allows healthcare providers to reduce their paperwork and spend more time interacting with patients.
Automate routine tasks
Booking, rescheduling, and canceling appointments can be time-consuming tasks for medical staff. However, once integrated into a health organization’s calendar, an AI assistant can take on these responsibilities, operating around the clock without breaks. This tool can also send appointment notifications to patients via email, text messages, or other preferred methods.
On a broader level, when integrated into an organisation’s system by healthcare providers, AI assistants can be helpful in administrative tasks — such as determining patient load, providing information about resource utilization, or making suggestions based on appointment data.
AI assistants are particularly useful for answering common patient questions. This includes providing information about medical procedures, such as whether a patient can eat before a specific procedure, as well as post-visit inquiries about when lab results will be available. For medical staff, AI assistants can be helpful by answering common questions related to administrative details.
Enhance patient engagement
AI assistants have a massive potential to enhance patient engagement by making healthcare more accessible, particularly for those who cannot frequently visit a doctor.
Take, for instance, the mental health field. AI assistants can provide information about an individual’s condition, recommend effective coping strategies, and act as an emotional supporter. These tools can gather information about an individual’s mood and other relevant details. If they include a function to contact a psychologist, the assistant can process this information and provide a summary. This approach saves time for healthcare professionals and minimizes the risk of overlooking important information during the conversation.
In some cases, AI assistants can provide patients with easy-to-understand information, treatment options, and recommendations. They can also send reminders to help patients follow their treatment plans and schedule appointments.
Provide personalized care
In the context of personalized care, AI assistants can serve as powerful tools for managing chronic conditions. They can provide 24/7 support, track symptoms, and provide real-time feedback based on monitored data. With the help of AI technology, patients can stay on track between doctor visits, while healthcare professionals can make adjustments to treatment plans as needed. By connecting to wearables or mobile health apps, AI assistants can collect valuable information and notify users if any issues arise, providing a more detailed picture of their health.
Another example is weight management. An AI assistant can collect an individual’s health data, set appropriate goals, suggest meal options, and adjust its guidance based on feedback. By using AI assistants, healthcare providers can offer personalized treatment and advice tailored to a patient’s lifestyle, preferences, and specific health conditions.
AI assistants are powerful — when trained properly
The advantages of using AI assistants are promising. Their ability to provide reliable second opinions, automate administrative tasks, and enhance care quality makes them valuable to modern healthcare. With high-quality data, proper training, and integration, AI assistants can become trusted tools in everyday life for both healthcare professionals and patients.#
About the author: Volodymyr Andrushchak is a Data Science Team Lead at Lemberg Solutions. As an ML expert with a Ph.D. in Data Science, Volodymyr is responsible for the AI and data science solutions that Lemberg Solutions builds to help clients launch innovative products and optimize their business processes.
