Redefining The Doctor-Patient Relationship in the Era of Artificial Intelligence – Modern Medicine’s Dilemma

Abstract

"Nowadays, the traditional relationship between doctors and patients is changed by the artificial intelligence (AI) and its involvement in the medical act – ranging from diagnosis to therapeutic recommendations or personalized treatment. The balance in this triangular relationship is hard to find especially in a digitalized world, in which patients have access to unfiltered information that may lead to inaccurate self-diagnosis. When it comes to the diverse background of a disease, only a doctor will be able to draw the right conclusion. It is hard to imagine that AI will soon be able to recognize problems such as domestic violence or mental illness. Ultimately, this means that AI is only a means to an end and the responsibility of any taken decision lies with the doctor. Doctors are more than decision making machines and the emotional intelligence cannot be replaced, but the advantages of using AI in the medical field are widely recognized and ultimately the goal is to ensure the best care for the patient. The purpose of this paper is to point out ethical aspects that rise from the involvement of AI in the doctor-patient relationship and to describe the new roles of the doctor and the patient in the era of AI. "