10-11 - COVER STORY: Dr Know

The world we’re living in is changing rapidly and the future of health is being profoundly shaped by several interconnected factors.

Advancements in medical technology are driving unprecedented innovations, allowing for more accurate diagnoses, personalised treatments and enhanced patient outcomes.

Simultaneously, cutting-edge technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) and telehealth are revolutionising patient care by enabling doctors and nurses to make data-driven decisions and tailor approaches to meet the needs of each and every patient.

In 2022, Elsevier Health launched the Clinician of the Future programme with an inaugural report to explore emerging trends shaping the future of healthcare, in the eyes of doctors and nurses across the globe. It serves as the most expansive global survey directly engaging clinicians on the topic.

One year later, as part of the ongoing commitment to listen to the challenges and aspirations of healthcare professionals, the Clinician of the Future 2023 report serves as a pulse on the state of the global health ecosystem.

Championing the experiences of 2,607 doctors and nurses worldwide, the Clinician of the Future 2023 report underscores the gravity of workforce pressures such as nursing shortages, and puts an additional lens on the future role of generative AI in healthcare and its implications on patient care and health outcomes.

By continuing to elevate the voices of clinicians, we can better understand the challenges they expect to face in the years ahead and consider how all healthcare stakeholders can partner with doctors and nurses to support them in providing the best care possible for their patients.

As global attention focuses on evaluating and understanding the potential of AI in healthcare, there has never been a more important need to do this than now.

Globally, the majority of clinicians find fulfilment in their roles; however, they continue to feel overworked, overwhelmed and burned out.

Notably, job satisfaction among UK doctors is significantly lower than the global average, at only 76%, with over half (57%) believing they maintain a healthy work-life balance.

This scenario unfolds against the backdrop of an overstretched healthcare system, marked by 12 months of industrial action from nurses, junior doctors and consultants, making it a challenging year for the frontline workforce in the UK.

In 2022, the original Clinician of the Future survey showed that most clinicians expected staff shortages, with 74% of clinicians agreeing there will be a shortage of nurses and 68% that there will be a shortage of doctors. This year we can see that those shortages are now having a significant impact on clinicians in many regions, and as a result, this is the number one concern globally and in the UK.

In the UK, 93% of nurses said tackling the nursing shortage is a top priority to be addressed in the next two to three years. Mirroring this concern, 81% of UK doctors emphasised that resolving the shortage of doctors is of critical importance.

Further to this, 48% of all clinicians surveyed in the UK said they are considering leaving their current role in the next two to three years, and of this total, half plan to leave healthcare altogether.

A pivotal issue in the healthcare landscape is the perception among clinicians, both globally and in the UK, that recently qualified doctors and nurses demonstrate obvious gaps in their training due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the UK, 75% of nurses and 59% of doctors believe their newly trained colleagues lack hands-on training.

Considering the shortages facing clinicians and the lack of hands-on training in the newly qualified workforce, sufficient and appropriate training is critical to future-proofing the sector and protecting the quality of patient care.

Make no mistake, technology and AI have the potential to empower clinicians and transform patient care.

With the considerable strain on many healthcare systems and critical staff shortages already impacting the frontline workforce and projected to worsen, clinicians recognise the potential of technology to reduce the burden of these pressure points.

By improving efficiencies across the system, from administration tasks to patient management, technology has the potential to empower clinicians, enhance clinical practice and transform the patient-clinician relationship.

Currently, only 44% of clinicians in the UK feel the amount of time they are able to spend with their patients is sufficient to provide good care, and seven out of 10 interactions with patients are face-to-face in the UK.

Clinicians expect the number of in-person consultations to reduce to 53% by 2028, and 59% find it desirable for teleconsultations to be the main mechanism for routine check-ups in the next two to three years.

Though clinicians are both curious and sometimes hesitant about the newer generative AI tools, they are open to the possibilities of innovative technologies to improve patient care. As such, clinicians consider it desirable for physicians (73%) and nurses (71%) to be experts in the use of digital health technologies in the next two to three years.

One of the biggest shifts we have seen in the healthcare sector in the last year has been the emergence and rapid growth of AI, particularly generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard. While only 8% of today’s clinical decisions in the UK are assisted by generative AI tools, 34% say that it will be desirable for doctors to use generative AI tools to help make clinical decisions in two to three years.

Clinicians also see the benefits of medical and nursing students incorporating AI into their learning. Over half (51%) of clinicians worldwide welcome the prospect of medical students using generative AI-powered tools as part of their education in the next two to three years.

Clinicians stress, however, that it should be an adjunct and not a replacement for face-to-face learning experiences. Clinicians in the UK, though open to the idea, are more reserved about generative AI technologies supporting medical students when compared to the global average, as only 33% find this desirable.

The dependency on technology has always been high among clinicians, but the appetite for it as an enabler is increasing.

Their receptiveness to embracing new tools and solutions that help relieve pressures and burdens, combined with their desire to improve patient care and adapt to evolving healthcare dynamics, paints a promising picture for the future of healthcare delivery.

The report provides a dynamic snapshot of the current healthcare landscape, and as new doctors and nurses enter the workforce, the landscape will continue to shift.

To gain a holistic perspective, it is crucial for the broader healthcare sector to actively engage with frontline healthcare professionals, including those on their journey to qualification.

By listening to their insights and adopting their viewpoints, we can continue to develop innovative solutions that enable them to deliver the best possible care for their patients and communities.

In an era where global healthcare systems are increasingly embracing a digital-first approach, the report also underscores that the workforce not only acknowledges the potential of emerging technologies, such as generative AI, to revolutionise global healthcare but also how these innovations can have an immediate and lasting impact on patient care.

Dr Know

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