Artificial intelligence (AI) streamlines almost every aspect of Ogechika Alozie, MD’s, practice – and he encourages other physicians to use the technology “help the practice of medicine evolve.”
Dr. Alozie uses AI “in any way that suits medicine,” including clinical decision support, treatment recommendations, and help with billing and payment. For example, Dr. Alozie uses OpenEvidence – a free, AI medical information platform that features content from the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA – to craft patients’ treatment plans and edit clinical documentation necessary for billing, payment, and continuity of care.
He does this by uploading lab reports and his own notes into the platform, where the platform builds on his clinical insight with evidence supported by medical literature. The tool then recommends appropriate treatment plans and drafts supporting documentation to ensure clarity.
“The AI makes justified changes to my care plans based on new and existing research,” the member of the TMA’s Council on Health Service Organizations said. “It has [strengthened] my medical decision-making as a whole.”
By using AI, Dr. Alozie says he’s able to eliminate unnecessary work and free up time for more meaningful patient interactions.
He also uses the technology to grow his private practice. Dr. Alozie utilizes ChatGPT to quickly analyze lengthy, complex contracts, such as new building leases. To do so, he asks the platform to review and flag unfavorable terms and potential financial risks within an agreement, a feature he called “one of the biggest advantages” to using the technology. However, Dr. Alozie still consults with his own legal counsel before signing any agreements.
Additionally, Dr. Alozie uses ChatGPT to analyze his billing and collections data every month to make informed decisions about which hospitals he and the nurse practitioners he employs will visit for rounds. He asks the AI tool to provide insight into patient demographics, insurance coverage, and hospital performance metrics to make those decisions.
Dr. Alozie never puts patients’ protected health information into ChatGPT, as the platform is not HIPAA compliant. Instead, he uses the tool to understand potential compensation for treating patients at different complexity levels.
After eight weeks of doing this, Dr. Alozie says his practice saw a 20-25% increase in revenue.
“I’m using as many AI tools as possible to make my life as simple as possible,” he said.
Dr. Alozie discloses his use of AI to patients before every appointment as required by Texas law. He also chooses to verbally request consent from patients before he uses AI during an appointment as an added layer of communication. In the last six months, only two of his patients have declined.
Although his patients have increasingly accepted the technology, Dr. Alozie still finds some physicians remain skeptical about using AI. While he understands their hesitation, he says he still believes physicians should use AI to better understand its potential applications in health care.
“How AI is used in health care is the next great battle in medicine, and physicians should be at the head of that conversation,” he said. “The only way for that to happen is for physicians to use – and test – the technology.”
For more information, TMA offers its members free resources within its artificial and augmented intelligence resource hub, including an AI vendor evaluation tool and information on the technology.
Alisa Pierce
Reporter, Division of Communications and Marketing
(512) 370-1469