TDP 139: UCSD's Dr. Christopher Longhurst: Pioneering AI-generated patient message drafts, and more

Episode 139 of The Digital Patient – Stories from the frontline of Digital Patient Engagement – featuring Dr. Christopher Longhurst, Chief Clinical & Innovation Officer, Associate Dean, and Executive Director of the Jacobs Center for Health Innovation at UC San Diego Health. Show notes 👇

[00:00:52] Why Dr. Longhurst pursued medicine, influenced by his father's role as an academic physician and his own experiences in pediatric care.
[00:01:41] Transition into digital health and informatics, sparked by his growing up in the country, early exposure to computing, and a strategic decision to blend medical training with computer science through guidance by his then Dean of Student Affairs.
[00:03:19] Realistic applications and potential overestimations of AI in healthcare over the next decade.
[00:05:16] Dr. Longhurst's involvement in pioneering AI-generated patient message drafts in the EHR.
[00:06:01] Exploration and impact of AI tools like ambient documentation to improve clinical documentation processes and well-being.
[00:08:43] Challenges in quantifying the ROI of AI tools in healthcare, particularly when benefits include improved clinician well-being rather than direct productivity gains.
[00:10:27] Findings from Dr. Longhurst’s pilot study on AI-generated patient message drafts, revealing unexpected outcomes regarding time savings and cognitive load despite no time-savings for clinicians.
[00:15:43] Dr. Longhurst discusses the criteria for successful adoption of new clinical tools and the balance between technological innovation and practical healthcare delivery.
[00:19:06] Clinical equipoise and the importance of continuous improvement and comparative effectiveness studies in healthcare.
[00:24:23] Potential for reverse technology transfer, where innovations in low-resource, less regulated settings could inform practices in more developed healthcare systems.
[00:27:10] Concerns around the premature adoption of AI without sufficient studies on efficacy, emphasizing the need for implementation science centers to evaluate clinical effectiveness of AI models;
[00:29:25] The role of implementation science in realizing the true potential of AI (or other intervention) in healthcare, bridging the gap between algorithmic performance and practical utility.
[00:36:13] The importance of process and people in the successful implementation of technology in healthcare settings.

Fast 5 Lightning Round:

1. Favorite Book: "Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5" by the American Academy of Pediatrics, a go-to gift for friends with new babies.
2. Person to Meet: Abraham Lincoln.
3. Preferred Superpower: Reading minds for professional settings and super strength or speed when retired.
4.Belief in Healthcare: A single-payer system would reduce healthcare waste and improve population health, and how starting with universal coverage for children would be a great first step.
5. Last Film Watched: "Hillbilly Elegy," directed by Ron Howard on Netflix. It was educational, great acting, but not outstanding overall.