Cited by 203Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and EducationArtificial Intelligence ApplicationsArtificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Artificial intelligence: opportunities and implications for the health workforce

Open access
Hazarika, Indrajit·2020·International Health

Abstract

Healthcare involves cyclic data processing to derive meaningful, actionable decisions. Rapid increases in clinical data have added to the occupational stress of healthcare workers, affecting their ability to provide quality and effective services. Health systems have to radically rethink strategies to ensure that staff are satisfied and actively supported in their jobs. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to augment provider performance. This article reviews the available literature to identify AI opportunities that can potentially transform the role of healthcare providers. To leverage AI’s full potential, policymakers, industry, healthcare providers and patients have to address a new set of challenges. Optimizing the benefits of AI will require a balanced approach that enhances accountability and transparency while facilitating innovation.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This review argues that AI can augment the health workforce by improving productivity, reducing administrative workload, supporting diagnosis and teamwork, and potentially increasing satisfaction. It also identifies new challenges in liability, labour markets, competencies, ethics, regulation, and the provider–patient relationship, calling for balanced governance that enhances accountability and transparency while fostering innovation.

Key findings

  • AI may augment provider performance: nursing AI-enabled tools are reported to increase productivity by 30–50%, voice-to-text transcription is estimated to save 17% of doctors’ work time and 51% of registered nurses’ work time, and physicians in ambulatory settings already spend 49% of time on electronic health records and desk work versus 33% on direct clinical face time.
  • The AI healthcare market is expected to grow from US$2.1 billion in 2018 to US$36.1 billion by 2025, at a compound annual growth rate of 50.2%, with applications including administrative tasks, clinical decision aids, imaging, drug design, surgical robots, chatbots, and medication monitoring.
  • Workforce pressures are substantial: the needs-based shortage of healthcare workers was estimated at about 18 million in 2013; burnout rates reach between 25% and 75% in some clinical specialties; medical knowledge doubling time is projected at 73 days in 2020; and in the UK one in six patients have more than one chronic condition, accounting for approximately one-third of general practice consultations.
  • Newer challenges include ambiguous professional liability for AI-supported decisions, labour market shifts and demand for informatics skills, need for new provider competencies, ethical concerns about biased or nonrepresentative datasets and “black box” accountability, ill-defined regulatory evidence standards, and AI’s inability to possess human characteristics such as compassion and empathy.

Methods

  • Narrative literature review; the paper states it “reviews the available literature” to identify AI opportunities and implications for healthcare providers.
  • No primary data collection or sample is reported; evidence comes from cited studies, reports, and examples of healthcare AI applications.
  • Main analysis is a narrative synthesis of AI’s potential roles in productivity, workload, performance, teamwork, and satisfaction, followed by discussion of professional, labour market, competency, ethical, regulatory, and relational challenges.

Limitations

  • The paper states limitations of AI itself: dependence on availability and quality of health data, inherent biases and nonrepresentativeness in training datasets, difficulty interpreting “black box” systems, inability to display compassion, empathy, and the human touch, and ambiguous liability and regulatory standards.
  • Not stated in the paper; evident from the text: as a narrative review, it reports no systematic search strategy, databases, inclusion/exclusion criteria, or formal quality appraisal, so its conclusions may reflect selective evidence.
  • Not stated in the paper; evident from the text: several quantitative claims rely on reports, industry sources, or examples that may not be peer-reviewed or generalizable across health systems.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1093/inthealth/ihaa007

Cites

31 of 31 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 27 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Premisecitation

    Globally, the needs-based shortage of healthcare workers was estimated to be about 18 million in 2013.

    “Globally, the needs-based shortage of healthcare workers was estimated to be about 18 million in 2013.1”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [1] World Health Organization, 2016

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Premisecitation

    Studies on adoption of proven innovations in healthcare confirm unjustifiable slowness and incomplete implementation of evidence-based practices, even in the best academic health centres.

    “Studies on the adoption of proven innovations in healthcare confirm that there is unjustifiable slowness and incomplete implementation of evidence-based practices, even in the best academic health centres.12”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [12] Institute of Medicine, 2001

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Interpretationreasoning

    The sheer volume of information, coupled with time constraints and cognitive limitations, has outstripped the capacity of healthcare providers to apply new knowledge.

    “The sheer volume of information, coupled with time constraints and cognitive limitations, has outstripped the capacity of healthcare providers to apply this new knowledge.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Interpretationnone given

    Functioning largely as 'black boxes', the behaviour of AI systems is difficult to interpret and explain.

    “Functioning largely as ‘black boxes’, the behaviour of AI systems is difficult to interpret and explain.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Premisecitation

    Patients and their families now have more knowledge of, competence with and engagement in their health decision-making.

    “Patients and their families now have more knowledge of, competence with and engagement in their health decision-making.15”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [15] Tonsaker, 2014, Health information on the internet: gold mine or minefield?, Can Fam Physician.

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 16
  • May combine two claims. 18
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Burnout of healthcare providers, especially clinical staff, has become an occupational hazard, with its rate reaching between 25% and 75% in some clinical specialties.

    “Among others, burnout of healthcare providers, especially clinical staff, has become an occupational hazard, with its rate reaching between 25% and 75% in some clinical specialties.7”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [7] Laschinger, 2006, The impact of staff nurse empowerment on person-job fit and work engagement/burnout, Nurs Adm Q. source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The doubling time of medical knowledge was estimated at 50 years in 1950, 7 years in 1980, 3.5 years in 2010, and projected to be 73 days in 2020.

    “The doubling time of medical knowledge in 1950 was estimated at 50 y, in 1980 it was 7 y and in 2010 it was 3.5 y. In 2020 it is projected to be only 73 d.11”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [11] Densen, 2011, Challenges and opportunities facing medical education, Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc.

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    In the UK, one in six patients have more than one chronic condition, and these patients account for approximately one-third of all general practice consultations.

    “In the UK, for example, recent estimates suggest that one in six patients have more than one chronic condition, and these patients account for approximately one-third of all general practice consultations.13”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [13] Fortin, 2005, Prevalence of multimorbidity among adults seen in family practice, Ann Fam Med. source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Rapid, disruptive technological change has the potential to drive healthcare reforms to improve efficiency and augment provider satisfaction, thus improving patient experiences and outcomes.

    “Rapid, disruptive technological change has the potential to drive healthcare reforms to improve efficiency and augment provider satisfaction, thus improving patient experiences and outcomes.8”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [8] Meskó, 2018, Will artificial intelligence solve the human resource crisis in healthcare?, BMC Health Serv Res. source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Recent studies have shown that ongoing staffing shortages will increase patient waiting times and dramatically impact overall quality of healthcare.

    “Recent studies3,4 have shown that the ongoing staffing shortages will not only increase patient waiting times, but also dramatically impact the overall quality of healthcare.5”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [3] Hassmiller, 2006, Addressing the nurse shortage to improve the quality of patient care, Health Aff (Millwood) source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [4] Dall, 2018

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [5] Rogers, 2004, The working hours of hospital staff nurses and patient safety, Health Aff (Millwood). source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The introduction of AI is likely to mean the skills and expertise required of healthcare providers will change.

    “As with many new technologies, the introduction of AI is likely to mean the skills and expertise required of healthcare providers will change.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    AI has enormous potential to enhance productivity, improve quality and efficiency and contribute towards higher provider and patient satisfaction.

    “AI has enormous potential to enhance productivity, improve quality and efficiency and contribute towards higher provider and patient satisfaction.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Interpretationreasoning

    There are indications that AI has the potential to augment provider performance to deliver efficient, effective and quality care.

    “Although there is still much uncertainty about how adoption of AI will proceed, there are indications that AI has the potential to augment provider performance to deliver efficient, effective and quality care.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationreasoning

    As AI becomes increasingly used to assist with clinical activities, the professional obligations of healthcare providers towards individual patients might be affected by the use of AI decision support systems.

    “As AI becomes increasingly used to assist with clinical activities, the professional obligations of healthcare providers towards individual patients might be affected by the use of AI decision support systems.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Voice-to-text transcription will result in work time savings of 17% for doctors and 51% for registered nurses.

    “A recent report estimates that voice-to-text transcription will result in work time savings of 17% for doctors and 51% for registered nurses.28”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [28] Accenture

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Interpretationreasoning

    As AI continues to evolve in healthcare, there will likely be a growth in the demand for new skill sets, such as informatics.

    “Moreover, as AI continues to evolve in healthcare, there will likely be a growth in the demand for new skill sets, such as informatics.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    High workload is a recognized occupational stressor that has implications for the quality of care and patient outcomes.

    “High workload is a recognized occupational stressor that has implications for the quality of care and patient outcomes.24,25”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [24] Marine, 2006, Preventing occupational stress in healthcare workers, Cochrane Database Syst Rev. source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [25] Nieuwenhuijsen, 2010, Psychosocial work environment and stress related disorders, a systematic review, Occup Med. source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Interpretationreasoning

    AI has the potential to integrate data from a large number of sources, both structured and unstructured, to provide more cohesive, faster, more consistent access to patient information across different settings and disciplines.

    “AI has the potential to integrate data from a large number of sources, both structured and unstructured, to provide more cohesive, faster, more consistent access to patient information across different settings and disciplines.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Although multimorbidity is common and costly, clinical practice guidelines and models of care delivery are still largely built on vertical monomorbid approaches.

    “Although multimorbidity is common and costly, clinical practice guidelines and models of care delivery are still largely built on vertical monomorbid approaches.14”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [14] Fortin, 2005, Multimorbidity is common to family practice: is it commonly researched?, Can Fam Physician.

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Technologies such as AI have the potential to analyse and identify patterns in complex data and support healthcare providers in the delivery of care.

    “Technologies such as AI have the potential to analyse and identify patterns in complex data and support healthcare providers in the delivery of care.19”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [19] Dilsizian, 2014, Artificial intelligence in medicine and cardiac imaging: harnessing big data and advanced computing to provide personalized medical diagnosis and treatment, Curr Cardiol Rep. source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    AI can enable patients with chronic conditions to become better informed about their health and stay connected with health caregivers.

    “AI can enable patients with chronic conditions to become better informed about their health and stay connected with health caregivers.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Concerns have been raised that datasets used to train AI systems have inherent biases and are often not representative of the wider population.

    “Concerns have been raised that datasets used to train AI systems have inherent biases and are often not representative of the wider population.34”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [34] Wartman, 2018, Medical education must move from the information age to the age of artificial intelligence, Acad Med. source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    AI technologies have the potential to process data, discover new knowledge and create novel methods to improve the quality of healthcare.

    “AI technologies have the potential to process data, discover new knowledge and create novel methods to improve the quality of healthcare.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    AI has vast potential to deliver better quality and more efficient healthcare, thereby enhancing productivity, provider satisfaction and user experience and dramatically improving outcomes.

    “AI has vast potential to deliver better quality and more efficient healthcare, thereby enhancing productivity, provider satisfaction and user experience and dramatically improving outcomes.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    AI tools have the potential to improve diagnostic decisions and treatment outcomes and reduce medical errors.

    “AI tools have the potential to improve diagnostic decisions and treatment outcomes and reduce medical errors.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    AI can assist in improving efficiency and quality, but is limited by its inability to possess some human characteristics, such as compassion, empathy and the human touch.

    “AI can assist in improving efficiency and quality, but is limited by its inability to possess some human characteristics, such as compassion, empathy and the human touch.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    AI is unlikely to displace humans, but will definitely redefine their roles and establish itself as an indispensable cognitive assistant.

    “Looking into the future—taking cues from the history of automation—AI is unlikely to displace humans, but will definitely redefine their roles and establish itself as an indispensable cognitive assistant.39”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [39]

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    AI is likely to transform the role of healthcare providers, and may even dramatically change the provider-patient relationship.

    “AI is likely to transform the role of healthcare providers, and may even dramatically change the provider–patient relationship.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    For now, the role of healthcare providers is unchanged, but AI can be a very useful cognitive assistant.

    “For now, the role of healthcare providers is unchanged, but AI can be a very useful cognitive assistant.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    AI in the healthcare market is expected to grow from US$2.1 billion in 2018 to US$36.1 billion by 2025, at a compound annual growth rate of 50.2% during the forecast period.

    “According to a recent report,20 AI in the healthcare market is expected to grow from US$2.1 billion in 2018 to US$36.1 billion by 2025, at a compound annual growth rate of 50.2% during the forecast period.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [20] Research and Markets

      Not checked in the free run.

25 of 25
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The shortage and distribution challenges have led to increases in the workload and stress-related burnout of remaining staff, creating unsatisfactory work environments.

    “The shortage and distribution challenges have led to increases in the workload and stress-related burnout of remaining staff, creating unsatisfactory work environments.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The growth of consumerism and the proliferation of internet-accessible sources of health-related information will continue to modify the provider–patient relationship.

    “In addition, the growth of consumerism and the proliferation of internet-accessible sources of health-related information will continue to modify the provider–patient relationship.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Future medical practice will be characterized by the use of a growing array of data from multiple sources and AI applications.

    “Future medical practice will be characterized by the use of a growing array of data from multiple sources and AI applications.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    As the use of AI in the clinical space increases and evolves, legal and regulatory risk will increase, particularly since traditional regulatory principles are not yet attuned to AI.

    “As the use of AI in the clinical space increases and evolves, legal and regulatory risk will increase, particularly since traditional regulatory principles are not yet attuned to AI.”
4 of 4

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. World Health Organization, 2016, Global strategy on human resources for health: workforce 2030
  2. Dall, 2018, 2018 update. The complexities of physician supply and demand: projections from 2016 to 2030
  3. World Health Organization, 2016, Report of the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth
  4. Bresnick, Amazon takes on unstructured EHR data with machine learning, NLP.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Hazarika, I.
Affiliations
World Health Organization (CH)
Corresponding author
Hazarika, Indrajit
Venue
International Health
Published
2020-04-17
Volume
12
Issue
4
Pages
241-245
ISSN
  • 1876-3405 (ISSN-L)
  • 1876-3413
OpenAlex
W3016592756
Cited by
203
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 46 · 2025: 52 · 2024: 54 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2
FWCI
0.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Health (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
World Health Organization
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Health Informatics › Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Artificial Intelligence Applications
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
Keywords
artificial intelligence in healthcare, healthcare workers, occupational stress, clinical decision support, AI adoption barriers, transparency and accountability, AI policy
MeSH terms
Artificial Intelligence, Delivery of Health Care, Health Workforce, Humans, Medical Informatics, Primary Health Care

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Claims read by deepseek-v4.1-flash under definition version 3 (extract-v3) on 2026-10-10.

Classified by jev-1.13-20260917 (gold-guideline-v0.2) on 2026-10-10.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review