Why AI is the Future for Black Women's Health

Discover 3 AI Solutions to Healthcare Disparities

I’m not an early adopter of technology by any stretch of the imagination, which was evident last week as I went through tubs filled with half-used planners I’ve accumulated over the years. As I sought to “Marie Kondo” my way through organizing, I realized how much information in these paper planners could have easily been stored in a Google calendar. 

Despite not quickly adopting digital calendars, I’ve been less slow to embrace other digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI). From spellchecking my Substack newsletters with Grammarly (like this one) to tracking my activity level with my Fitbit, I’ve quickly adopted specific AI tools in my everyday life. 

As I started thinking about health, I realized that AI has become increasingly vital in patient care, for better or worse. AI has the potential to support healthcare providers in caring for patients. At the same time, the unconscious bias sometimes embedded in the design of AI can cause harm. For instance, as we’ve seen with the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI), due to a clinical algorithm, kidneys from Black donors were being discarded more often than those from any other patient population. 

That’s why identifying potential bias in AI is essential if we’re going to use it as one of the many solutions to healthcare disparities. A way to do that is by understanding the benefits of responsible AI.  

Why Solutions to Healthcare Disparities Starts With Responsible AI 

Whether we desire it or not, AI technology will play a central role in our healthcare system within the next decade. That prediction comes from observing how healthcare has shifted since the global COVID-19 pandemic. Undoubtedly, AI in healthcare is here to stay, so it’s more imperative than ever that we ensure the technology does not cause harm to patients. We do that by ensuring that we are leveraging AI technology responsibly. 

That means we take a patient-centered approach to treat those under our care with dignity and respect. It also means ensuring that the metrics used are relevant to the patient populations being cared for. Finally, it means reevaluating the technology as we learn and grow our understanding of best practices. If those three principles were considered, it wouldn’t have taken years to address the flaws in the KDPI algorithm. 

Therefore, despite understandable skepticism of AI, we must recognize that it can be one of many viable solutions to healthcare disparities. Here is how we can specifically utilize AI in healthcare for good:

1. AI Can Help Personalize Patient Care 

One of the biggest takeaways as a health coach was the importance of personalization. With AI, healthcare providers have access to an incredible tool that can enable them to identify patterns and predict outcomes. This allows them to tailor treatment plans to each patient’s unique needs. More importantly, AI can track patient progress, informing future clinical decision-making. Thus, AI can help providers personalize care in a way they haven’t been able to before. 

2. AI Can Reduce Bias in Clinical Decisions

The primary reason I shifted from health coaching to health education was that I saw the impact of bias on clinical decision-making. That’s why I’m such a proponent of using AI, as the technology can flag potential biases in diagnosis or treatment. Further, it can assist providers in recognizing their own biases, which can help them make different clinical decisions in the future. 

3. AI Can Predict Adverse Health Outcomes  

What shouldn’t be ignored is AI's predictive ability to identify high-risk patients and suggest preventive measures. In other words, AI allows healthcare providers to take a proactive approach to caring for their patients. As early detection is critical for halting disease progression, AI can be a valuable tool for addressing health inequalities. In doing so, providers can positively impact the health of the most vulnerable in society. 

Despite the understandable concern that some have about integrating AI into healthcare, I hope I’ve provided you with three tangible benefits that we cannot ignore. By embracing AI, you can take significant steps toward addressing healthcare disparities and ensuring better patient outcomes!

Your opinion is crucial!  Cast your vote! 🗳️

Warm regards,

Tomesha R. Campbell, MA  

Enhance Black Women's Health