AI in Healthcare Must Support Rather Than Replace Medical Decision-Making, Say Experts

While artificial intelligence is becoming an enduring component of modern healthcare and medical training, medical practitioners must remain the ultimate authority in clinical decision-making, according to healthcare and academic specialists. Speaking at a virtual discussion, panel members underscored that technological applications should support rather than supplant human clinical acumen, critical thinking, and empathy in clinical practice.

What Happened

A panel discussion titled “The Future Doctor: Balancing Clinical Experience with Technology” was held by the SRM Institute of Science and Technology in partnership with The Hindu. The session brought together medical academicians, dental specialists, and digital health industry leaders to discuss the practical integration and responsibilities surrounding artificial intelligence in modern clinical environments.

The discussion featured insights from Dr. R. Jayanthi, Dean of the SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre; Dr. Vivek N, Dean (Dental) at SRM Kattankulathur Dental College and Hospital; Ritubhan Gautam, Head of Global Health at Deep Tek.ai; and Dr. K. Ganapathy, who serves as an Honorary Distinguished Professor at IIM Jammu, Distinguished Professor at Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, and Emeritus Professor at the National Academy of Medical Sciences. The panel was moderated by Geetha Srimathi, senior reporter at The Hindu.

Key Highlights

• Need for AI Literacy: Dr. R. Jayanthi highlighted that artificial intelligence has established a permanent role within both healthcare services and medical education. She noted that medical students must build comprehensive AI literacy alongside a “verification reflex” to evaluate machine-generated outputs against credible medical sources rather than accepting them uncritically.
• Non-Negotiable Professional Responsibility: Dr. K. Ganapathy stated that clinicians must never outsource their accountability or professional obligations to software systems. He stressed that physicians need to preserve clinical judgement, empathy, and the ability to formulate precise medical questions while assessing whether an AI-based prediction is valid for an individual patient.
• Decision Support in Dentistry: Addressing dental care, Dr. Vivek N noted that AI tools are automating aspects of dental diagnostics and clinical procedures. However, he reaffirmed that such tools function strictly as aids, leaving final diagnostic and procedural choices entirely to the treating dentist.
• Public Health Expansion: Ritubhan Gautam pointed out the potential of AI to act as a clinical force multiplier in resource-constrained areas facing specialist shortages. He highlighted that AI models can expand preliminary screenings in rural clinics and assist in identifying patients needing urgent care, provided that risks regarding algorithmic bias, diagnostic accuracy, and clinical supervision are properly addressed.

Why This Matters

The growing adoption of computational tools in hospitals and clinics presents both operational advantages and ethical considerations. In regions where access to specialized physicians is constrained, automated screening can help bridge gaps and triage patients requiring prompt attention. At the same time, the panellists observed that clinical outcomes rely heavily on human attributes such as empathy, contextual understanding, and bedside judgement that algorithms cannot supply.

Furthermore, medical training institutions face the task of preparing future doctors to navigate algorithmic suggestions critically. By fostering a habit of systematic cross-verification, healthcare educators aim to ensure that diagnostic technologies enhance patient care without eroding independent clinical reasoning.

What to Watch Next

As healthcare systems and teaching hospitals adapt to digital tools, key areas of focus identified by the experts include:

• The development of medical curriculum models that teach students how to verify AI-generated insights against established clinical evidence.
• The application of AI-assisted diagnostic screening tools to expand care in underserved and rural areas.
• Ongoing evaluation of algorithmic bias, model accuracy, and medical oversight frameworks in public health rollouts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can artificial intelligence replace human doctors?

According to the panellists, artificial intelligence cannot replace human clinicians. It is designed to operate as a clinical decision-support tool, leaving final diagnostic, procedural, and ethical responsibilities to the healthcare provider.

What is the ‘verification reflex’ in medical education?

Dr. R. Jayanthi described it as the practice where medical students actively evaluate and verify AI-generated recommendations against authoritative and trusted clinical sources, ensuring core reasoning skills are not compromised.

How can AI assist in public health and underserved areas?

Ritubhan Gautam noted that AI can serve as a force multiplier in places with few specialist doctors by facilitating remote screenings in rural areas and prioritizing urgent patient cases, provided clinical supervision and accuracy are maintained.

Source: The Hindu webinar titled “The Future Doctor: Balancing Clinical Experience with Technology”.