01/11/2026
In a world increasingly shaped by AI, automation, and assembly-line medicine, I find myself reflecting on where doctors can truly add value. How do doctors remain part of the equation and utilise the best parts of what we have to give?
I believe it lies in something profoundly human: our time, compassion, connection, and ability to see the whole person behind the condition. Not simply a collection of numbers, clinical findings, and measurable outcomes, but a human being with their own story, fears, hopes, and aspirations.
Is it unreasonable to think that, as medicine becomes increasingly technologically advanced, the human experience of healthcare may become one of the things patients value most? I already find myself instantly irritated when I don't find a human at the end of the phone when I book my own appointments for my health; it takes much longer to get to where I need to be, and I inevitably end up needing to speak to a human at the end anyway. A frustrating and inefficient process.
I use AI every single day in my practice, and it has become an integral part of almost every patient interaction. Truly, it has allowed me to be more present during consultations, giving me greater freedom to listen, connect, and focus on the person sitting in front of me.
But this doesn't happen by accident. Keeping the human at the centre of medicine is a conscious and deliberate choice.
And while AI has undoubtedly improved aspects of my clinical practice, I still find that its limitations become apparent in the time and spaces between patient interactions, where the complexities and nuances of healthcare and the systems within it operates aren't always so easily captured.
I hope we don't get to the point where the future of medicine should be a choice between technology and humanity. The real opportunity lies in using one to strengthen the other. That's the point that ol' mate Elon misses.
Perhaps the greatest value of AI in medicine will be its ability to give us back the time to be human.
Would genuinely love to hear your thoughts. As we navigate this extraordinary period of change, what do you think we will value most in the healthcare experience?