"Are humans more empathetic than robots?"
Dr Ronnie Sebro posed this question at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare conference at Hilton Trinidad, Port of Spain on November 26, causing an equally comical and uncomfortable stir among the health experts in the room unprepared for the answer.
As Dr Sebro, a radiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, shared surprising results of a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), some members of the audience were faced with the unsettling realisation that artificial intelligence (AI) could not only outperform humans in diagnostic accuracy but also emotional intelligence.
The research, comparing human and AI responses to health queries on Reddit’s Ask A Doctor forum, found that AI provided more accurate answers and was perceived as more empathetic than humans.
"That's okay,” said Dr Sebro.
“We could take that.
“But what we couldn’t take was that ChatGPT came across as more empathetic than the doctors. That’s the problem."
Dr Sebro’s anecdote encapsulated the vast achievements and potential of generative AI in medicine, which, according to several presenters, is far greater than in any other industry.
However, as he spoke about the evolving relationship between humans and machines in patient care, he cautioned against blind reliance on these technologies.
While AI excels in precision, he explained, it lacks the reasoning and human touch that patients often need during their care.
The NCRHA, CEO Davlin Thomas said, has firmly positioned itself at the forefront of AI integration in TT’s public healthcare.
In his opening remarks at the conference, Thomas shared the authority’s vision of the widespread adoption of AI to revolutionise diagnostics and treatment.
“The introduction of AI technology to support this ecosystem presents us with an intriguing dynamic – one that promises to enhance the patient’s experience, increase our efficiency to meet growing demand, boost our capacity in administrative, technical and clinical processes, and optimise support systems for staff, patients and stakeholders,” Thomas said.
The conference, themed Catalysing Change: Exploring the Transformative Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Patient Care, marked the first such designated event hosted by a regional health authority.
Thomas expressed confidence in AI’s transformative potential, saying, “Indeed, the future of healthcare looks bright and we are excited about the role AI is going to play. It is inevitable.”
He added that AI’s potential to enhance preventative care, optimise administrative processes and create a seamless experience for patients and staff is a cornerstone of NCRHA’s plans. Thomas also addressed the need for a “systems approach” to healthcare innovation, saying AI would allow the public health sector to address growing demands and improve overall health outcomes.
“We are mindful, not only of the metaphorical stone that we throw into the water, but we’re also cognisant of where the waves go and where th
