STAT+: Can AI fix the emergency room?

Brittany Trang, Ph.D., covers AI in health and medicine: Does it actually work? Who benefits, or might be harmed? She writes the weekly AI Prognosis newsletter. Follow her on Threads, Mastodon, and Bluesky. You can reach Brittany on Signal at btrang.01.You’re reading the web edition of STAT’s AI Prognosis newsletter, our subscriber-exclusive guide to artificial intelligence in health care and medicine. Sign up to get it delivered in your inbox every Wednesday. It’s hard to resist the world’s obsession with productivity and efficiency and to force yourself to be present in a quiet space. I’ve been enjoying the wandering_cassettes Instagram account, which posts videos of Fisher Price cassette players playing songs in different settings. This one is particularly calming, but they’re all timeline cleansers. The newsletter will be off next week as I work on a big new story, but I’ll be back in your inboxes Sept. 23. AI scribes only fix a tiny slice of the problem Today’s AI Prognosis — and my new story — are brought to you by “The Pitt.” Not in any financial way — I just mean that I finally started watching “The Pitt.” (No spoilers! I’m only halfway through season two.) Everyone is right — it is extremely compelling television. But what struck me the most was how “The Pitt” feels exactly like the ambulance ride-alongs and emergency department shadowing visits I’ve done: Dropping in on the worst day of someone’s life, but doing it over and over every 40 minutes, for eight to 12 hours, without enough resources. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and news alerts. Already have an account? Log in View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe