Conserve Time, Cut Costs, Protect Lives
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Cardiovascular Care
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be a pivotal topic in the future of cardiovascular healthcare. Cardiologists are increasingly discussing AI’s potential benefits, but they emphasize the importance of careful and thoughtful application. At the recent American College of Cardiology 2025 Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25), experts shared insights on how AI can enhance cardiovascular care while maintaining crucial aspects such as clinician-patient relationships, trust, and equitable access to healthcare.
Enhancing Clinical Workflow with AI
Reducing Clinician Burden
A primary concern among cardiologists is the excessive workload placed on healthcare providers, particularly due to electronic health record (EHR) systems and documentation requirements. AI has the potential to alleviate these challenges significantly. By utilizing natural language processing, AI can convert clinician-patient discussions into structured notes and automate data extraction from various systems, thereby minimizing manual data entry.
Robert M. Califf, MD, from Duke University Medical Center, raised an essential question: Will the advantages gained from AI push health systems to demand more from doctors, or will it allow physicians to devote more time to patient care? He referred to a troubling statistic: two-thirds of Americans feel they have to manage their own health due to a lack of support. This highlights the need to ensure AI supports rather than overwhelms healthcare providers.
Streamlining Administrative Tasks
In addition to enhancing clinical workflows, AI can speed up administrative processes, such as prior authorizations. Philip Rackliffe, MBA, highlighted AI’s potential for simplifying complex regulatory tasks, which often require substantial manpower. By improving efficiencies in these areas, AI could help bring products to market faster and stimulate innovation within the healthcare industry.
Trust and Safety in AI Applications
Building Patient and Clinician Trust
Trust is a cornerstone of effective healthcare, and discussions around AI usage often highlight the importance of maintaining this crucial element. AI tools should enhance patient care without diminishing the trust patients place in their healthcare providers. Even as AI systems become more sophisticated in analyzing and synthesizing medical data, the ultimate responsibility for treatment decisions will rest with the clinician. This ensures that human expertise remains the overarching guide in patient care.
Shiv Rao, MD, CEO of Abridge, pointed out that while AI can support clinical decisions, it carries inherent risks, including the potential for bias. To address this, healthcare experts are advocating for transparency and accountability in AI systems, ensuring that any automated suggestions are thoroughly assessed by doctors before being implemented.
Promoting Health Equity through AI
Addressing Disparities in Healthcare Access
AI holds significant promise in bridging gaps in healthcare access, especially for underserved populations. Panelists stressed that the true value of AI isn’t just found in large academic hospitals but also within community clinics and smaller healthcare facilities. JoAnne Foody, MD, from Johnson & Johnson, emphasized the need to provide high-quality, data-driven care to all patients while keeping them actively involved in their treatment.
Integrating AI into existing tools, such as EHRs, can facilitate its adoption and maximize its impact across various healthcare settings. For AI to genuinely advance health equity, it must be developed using diverse data sets and evaluated in real-world situations to ensure it addresses rather than perpetuates existing biases.
The Path Forward for AI in Cardiovascular Care
The ongoing dialogue among cardiologists underscores the need for careful implementation, transparent evaluation, and aligning incentives with patient outcomes. The focus must remain not solely on AI technology itself but on its potential to enhance cardiovascular care for patients and caregivers alike.
In the words of Rao, the aim should be straightforward: "save time, save money, and ultimately, save lives." As the healthcare industry evolves, all stakeholders must prioritize the effective integration of AI to ensure its benefits are realized in a way that sustains and improves patient care.
