THE DOCTOR IS IN
OP / ED BY DR. ADIL MANZOOR
There’s a revolution happening in internal medicine, and it’s important that I bring it to your notice. For years, we doctors have relied on research, experience, medical history, intuition, and whatnot to diagnose and treat diseases. But now, AI is stepping in as our powerful ally. It is reshaping the way we approach healthcare, and we may not even be ready for what’s coming.
I want you to Imagine a world where we can catch diseases before they even show symptoms. A world where treatments are tailored specifically to you. That world where we have AI-powered tools that make our jobs easier and more effective as medical practitioners. Well, that world is happening right now. So, how exactly is AI changing internal medicine, and what does it mean for you and me?
Having the correct diagnosis at the correct time can be the difference between life and death. Even the best physicians, however, do get to miss some of the more subtle signs of disease. But AI? Never gets tired. Never gets distracted and misses a thing. It can examine vast amounts of data in just seconds with breathtaking precision.
Let’s consider radiology, for example. There are AI-powered systems like Google’s DeepMind and IBM Watson Health. These systems can read medical images with the same precision as, and sometimes even higher precision than, human radiologists. They can detect subtle X-ray, MRI, and CT abnormalities that might otherwise be missed. Research has even revealed that AI software can identify various cancers and strokes with an accuracy rate of more than 90%. That cuts down on misdiagnosis and leads to improved patient outcomes.
It doesn’t end with radiology or imaging. We’re seeing the tremendous impact of AI in lab diagnostics too. I’ve worked with lab scientists who used smart algorithms to analyze blood samples and detect infections. In fact, these systems helped predict disease risks based on genetic markers. A good example was one that could identify sepsis hours before symptoms appear. It gave us a crucial head start in the treatment plan.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if physicians could foresee medical issues before they happen? Thanks to artificial intelligence, they can. Through the review of millions of patient histories, AI can detect individuals at high risk for ailments such as heart disease, diabetes, or kidney failure, sometimes even before symptoms occur.
For example, AI systems were trained to forecast heart attacks based on ECG results, cholesterol, and lifestyle. In a Nature study, it was discovered that AI also predicted cardiac events better than conventional risk profiling. That means more preventive care, earlier interventions, and fewer individuals struggling with preventable conditions.
AI is also used to track and predict disease outbreaks. During the pandemic of COVID-19, AI-based models were used to predict surges in infections by examining global health information and advising on public health responses. Such predictive power can prevent future pandemics and secure societies.
No two patients are the same, and so why should treatments be? AI is helping us tailor treatments better because it is able to read between the lines of digital health data and genetic information. AI technology such as IBM Watson for Oncology helps doctors choose the best possible treatment options for a patient from the patient’s own genes and medical history.
The same is happening in chronic disease management. There are wearable devices with AI that will monitor your vitals and give you real-time feedback. It will even help physicians modify treatment plans in real-time. Imagine having an AI personal assistant reminding you to take your meds and recommending dietary advice. They’ll even notify your physician when the vitals are showing warning signs. That’s our dream world.
Developing new medicines typically costs billions of dollars and years, but AI is accelerating the process. Machine learning algorithms can learn molecular structures and anticipate how various compounds will act against diseases. This allows for drug discovery more quickly and efficiently.
Firms such as Atomwise and BenevolentAI are already employing AI to create cures for Alzheimer’s, and cancer. AI is also enhancing clinical trials by identifying the most suitable participants and tracking their reactions in real time. This way, new drugs can hit the market faster.
But I’m sure you have some ethical questions. As much as AI in medicine sounds amazing, can we really trust it? Well, AI indeed has its challenges. One of its major concerns is data privacy. From what I’ve discussed earlier, you will notice that AI systems rely on massive amounts of patient data. Therefore, you can begin to ask some challenging questions regarding confidentiality and security. There are stringent laws such as HIPAA and GDPR that safeguard sensitive health information and assuage your fears.
Another problem is the “black box” issue of AI. Most AI models give answers without clearly describing how they arrived at their conclusions. So, it’s quite challenging for us doctors to trust their recommendations completely. However, researchers are now working on explainable AI (XAI) to make these systems more transparent and accountable.
And doctors? Will AI take our place? No chance! AI is a tool, not a human being. It will never provide you with the empathy, moral judgment, intuition, and professionalism that we provide. AI is meant to augment us to make our job more efficient and enhance patient care, not replace doctors.
The AI revolution in medicine isn’t coming. It’s already here. And it’s only going to get better from here.
This article was written by Dr. Adil Manzoor, DO, a Board-Certified Internist; Board certified Pediatrician who works as a Hospitalist and Emergency Room Physician. He is also the current President of Garden State Street Medicine, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide free preventive and acute urgent care services for the homeless. He is also the co-founder of his own unique medical practice, Mobile Medicine NJ; House Call Doctors. He is also currently pursuing an Executive MBA and a Master’s of Science in Healthcare Leadership at Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management and the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences.
References
- https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-023-04698-z
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-025-01460-1
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8285156/
- https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0464/3/1/2
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7325854/
