We are at the dawn of a new era in medicine and a pivotal moment in human history. Artificial intelligence tools offer the possibility and probability to swiftly uncover difficult-to-discern patterns in massive quantities of data, revolutionize how physicians and nurses are trained and how they work, improve how biomedical research is conducted, and significantly enhance how health care is delivered to patients and communities. And that’s just for starters, as AI is changing our lives in so many other aspects.
The key is to get AI right. As we move forward, UC Davis is helping to lead the way on human-centric “augmented intelligence” — my phrase for AI, because it reflects the fact that humans are ultimately in decision-making control in an empowered partnership between provider and patient. Looking ahead, the possibilities are limitless — we can use AI tools in amazing ways that break down barriers to access and significantly upgrade the quality, consistency and efficiency in patient care, and much, much more.
As you’ll see in this issue, UC Davis Health is embracing open innovation and radical collaboration with health care organizations so that we — the health care industry — can get it right. We’ve taken a “voluntary AI ethical pledge” and are helping to lead VALID AI, which our IT leaders founded and which includes cooperating health systems, partners, and payers as well as industry partners. Goals include promoting an equity-focused and responsible utilization of generative AI. By building out the systems that can truly evaluate patients’ social determinants of health, providers can deliver care in the full context of the patients’ circumstances. Leaving no one behind is the future of health care.
As we push the boundaries to ensure the changes ahead are for the good, we are committed to the principle that augmented intelligence requires guardrails to ensure safety and efficacy. The benefit of the VALID AI partnership is that it can serve to coordinate the validation of use-cases and alignment around best practices for AI governance and AI-enabled innovation, which will eventually empower care teams to deliver the best possible patient experiences and help to bridge gaps in care for the underserved.
In a recent video, I sat down with our Chief AI Advisor Dennis Chornenky and moderator Pamela Wu to discuss the latest AI trends and UC Davis Health, as well as the importance of guardrails for the use of AI. As I noted, doctors and nurses are in charge. Doctors and nurses will always be in charge of the decision-making. AI is artificial intelligence, but it’s not. In health care, it’s actually augmented intelligence — it’s about giving your doctors and your nurses more tools to make better decisions for the patients.
On the Sacramento campus, our AI research continues to shine brightly. In one recent example, a team of UC Davis Health clinicians and data scientists developed an AI-based, machine-learning model to better predict which patients are at greater risk of developing a common type of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma. Eventually, this technology can give physicians critical information to screen patients more closely, and as a result, offer them more personalized care.
There has never been a better time to be involved in the health care field. Our young people starting out in the schools of medicine and nursing today — and our physicians, nurses and employees — are on the leading edge of this wave of innovation. It arguably marks the most progress in patient care since the introduction of antibiotics. So many incredible and unparalleled changes await us all at UC Davis Health. Let’s share the journey together!
