AI and the Future of Health Care: Why Technology May Help Us Become More Human
At a recent physical appointment, my provider asked to see the list of questions I was clutching in my hand. I reluctantly handed over my list, which was just meant as mental notes for myself. This usually patient and curious practitioner handed back my list and curtly said, “I can’t address all of these; pick your top 3.”
This put me into panic mode. If they only had time to address three issues, what were my top 3? I have a complicated medical profile and health conditions that need ongoing monitoring.
At my last visit with this very same Practitioner, I left the office on cloud nine. I felt heard and seen. They reviewed my labs with me, discussed next steps, made some medication adjustments, and created a true collaborative moment, like what you read about in the standards.
What happened over the past 6 months that impacted our connection?
I believe this knowledgeable and excellent practitioner was feeling overwhelmed by their workload. They had responded to one of my recent lab results late into the night, in an imagined effort to keep up with the need to monitor, chart, and oversee their patient panel and complete their constant paperwork.
Looking at that list of 6-7 health questions was just too much.
My heart goes out to healthcare professionals providing primary and specialty care as they feel drowned in a mountain of to-do lists, report reviews, and documentation. But, what is the solution?
Can AI help Healthcare Professionals reclaim their Time?
What if the greatest future contribution of artificial intelligence (AI) in health and diabetes care isn’t replacing healthcare professionals – but giving us back the time and emotional energy to be fully present with the people we serve?
That is one of the most inspiring messages from the recent Diabetes Care article, “Diabetes Care in 2050: A Human-Centered Road Map From Time in Range to Time in Happiness.”
Rather than imagining a future in which technology overshadows human relationships, the authors envision a healthcare system where AI and digital innovation reduce administrative burdens, personalize care, and allow clinicians to focus on what matters most: meaningful human connection.
Healthcare has become increasingly complex, especially in diabetes. New medications, continuous glucose monitoring, automated insulin delivery systems, and sophisticated data platforms are being released at a record-breaking pace. Yet many healthcare professionals find themselves spending more time documenting, interpreting data, and navigating electronic health records than sitting face-to-face with the people they care for.
The article argues that by 2050, AI could be tasked with managing much of this cognitive and administrative workload – organizing information, identifying trends, generating documentation, and supporting clinical decision-making. This shift has the potential to return our attention to listening, coaching, and partnering with people living with diabetes.
Changing the Diabetes Metric of Success
One idea that particularly resonated with me is the authors’ proposal to redefine diabetes success from solely focusing on clinical metrics such as hemoglobin A1C, Time in Range, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels to a more human-based metric. While clinical measures are important, they don’t fully capture what matters to the individual.
The vision presented in this paper expands our perspective from “Time in Range” to “Time in Happiness.”
As caregivers, we can shift to a goal not solely focused on numbers, but to help people spend more of their time free from the constant burden of managing diabetes.
As diabetes healthcare professionals, this concept aligns beautifully with person-centered care. Our role has never been to prescribe medications or interpret glucose reports.
We help people navigate fear, frustration, competing priorities, financial barriers, family responsibilities, and the emotional weight of living with a chronic condition.
AI can never replace empathy, curiosity, trust, or human connection
However, it can create conditions that allow those human qualities to flourish by handling repetitive tasks and providing clinicians with timely, actionable insights.
AI to augment – not replace – clinical judgment.
Imagine beginning a visit with an AI-generated summary highlighting glucose trends, medication taking patterns, potential barriers, and individualized recommendations based on current evidence.
Instead of spending the first ten minutes gathering information, you could begin with a meaningful question such as, “What has been the hardest part of managing your diabetes since we last met?” Technology becomes the assistant, allowing the healthcare professional to remain the healer.
Instead of staying late to chart, your conversation with the individual is transcribed and uploaded to the electronic medical record, using the patient’s own words and language.
AI Can Give Healthcare Professionals Time to be Human
Administrative responsibilities continue to grow while visit lengths frequently remain unchanged. Documentation, prior authorizations, inbox management, and data review play a major role in clinician fatigue. If AI can safely automate many of these tasks, healthcare professionals may experience greater professional satisfaction and more opportunities to practice the type of medicine that originally inspired them to enter healthcare. Caring for others becomes less about managing paperwork and more about building relationships.
Of course, the authors wisely acknowledge that this future is not guaranteed. Achieving a human-centered healthcare system will require deliberate implementation, ethical attention, equitable access to technology, and healthcare reforms that value people over processes. AI is only a tool. Its value depends on how thoughtfully we integrate it into care. The article calls for co-designed solutions that include healthcare professionals and people living with diabetes in shaping these innovations, so technology improves, rather than fragments, the care experience.
Technology to Strengthen Human Connection
This future vision reinforces a belief I’ve held throughout my career: diabetes care is not about choosing between technology and interpersonal connection. It is about using technology to strengthen human connections. Every innovation should ultimately answer one question: Does this help us better understand, support, and partner with the person sitting in front of us?
As we look toward the future, I hope AI becomes the quiet partner working behind the scenes—organizing information, identifying patterns, and simplifying complexity—while healthcare professionals do what only humans can do: listen deeply, inspire hope, foster trust, and walk alongside people through life’s challenges. If we achieve that balance, perhaps by 2050 we really will measure success not only by Time in Range, but also by Time in Happiness. And that is a future worth building.
References
- Diabetes Care in 2050: A Human-Centered Road Map From Time in Range to Time in Happiness | Diabetes Care | American Diabetes Association
Join Coach Bev on July 21st for our
Level 5 | Cancer & Diabetes Webinar | 1.5 CEs
Explore the unexpected link between cancer and diabetes — and master glucose management strategies for people with diabetes undergoing treatment.
Individuals with cancer often experience hyperglycemia secondary to treatment, which can increase the risk of infection and other complications. Recent research has also identified a significant link between diabetes and cancer. This course uses a case study approach to explore this connection and provide practical strategies for managing steroid-induced hyperglycemia and improving quality of life for people navigating both conditions.
Course Topics:
- Discuss the relationship between cancer, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance
- State 3 benefits of normalizing glucose levels during chemotherapy
- Using a case study approach, discuss strategies to improve glucose levels and quality of life
