But while the cold perfection of A.I. makes for a more perfect medical diagnosis, it can’t replace a human. After all, we love and embrace physicians who approach their work with empathy for patients and a warm understanding of what their fellow human beings are going through.
Source: Why AI Doesn’t Threaten Doctors
I don’t think that this is right. Very few patients would choose to see a doctor or physio because they’re looking for a little bit of empathy. The primary objective is to address a health problem that they’re experiencing and the fact that they would prefer a clinician with empathy is secondary. The author goes on to say that, “No amount of empathy will offset the pitfalls of human error…” and I think that this makes my point.
Of course, patients may be more likely to forgive errors if they’re committed by clinicians who cares for them. But, if given a preference, I imagine they would like a clinician to help them with the problem that brought them to the service in the first place, regardless of empathy. Also, I’m not convinced that the majority of health care providers are all that empathic towards their patients, especially those who are underpaid and over-worked in barely functioning health systems (i.e. the majority of health systems in the world).