Using AI to Market and Manage Your Practice

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How can AI be effective for documenting or marketing?

AI is already being well-used for documenting patient visits. There are a number of HIPAA-compliant AI models that function with ambient listening on a device. The AI only takes the medically pertinent parts of the conversation to form the note. I’ve found that the result is robust for the Subjective and Plan portions of a SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) note.

In order for AI to do well with the Objective section, you need to narrate your examination. There’s a choice to make—speak to your patient or speak for the AI. I choose to speak to my patient and refine this section manually before I sign my note.

A non-medical AI is potentially useful to create content for marketing. You can use an AI model, such as ChatGPT, to create newsletter articles, copy for brochures and other marketing collateral, and copy for your website. It can also compose blog posts and promotional emails.

You must remember the old computer adage, “Garbage in, garbage out.” The output you receive is only as good as the prompt, or instructions to the AI, for it to output what you are looking for. I also can’t emphasize enough; you must edit everything that AI writes for you. The job of AI is to give you a response to your request. It may not give you a true answer. Edit for content and make sure the end result reads how you would like to portray yourself and your practice.

What would you avoid using AI for?

Using AI for coding is not ready for prime time, in my observation. The AI scribe will occasionally get the right ICD-10 code, but I find that it is the exception rather than the rule. I would not rely on AI for coding at this time.

I have not met an AI model that provides accurate ICD-10, CPT^®, or HCPCS codes. I’m sure it will improve with time. For now, I still choose the codes myself without the aid of AI.

How do you see AI use evolving for podiatric practice?

AI will improve exponentially, but it will never replace a podiatrist seeing a patient. The accuracy of scribing will certainly improve, as I’m sure the reliability of coding will also improve with time. AI will give the opportunity to automate certain office functions. It will help with intake and triage, medication management, and even prescription writing.

I wouldn’t be surprised if AI were able to be used to assist with orthotic prescription creation by being integrated into scanning software. And, down the road, we will see AI integrated with digital X-ray software to highlight pathology.

I recommend that practitioners at least sit through some demonstrations of medical AI systems that are currently out in order to see what they can do. Even if you’re not ready to use it in your own practice, it will keep you aware of the capabilities if and when you choose to invest in one.

Dr. Schneider is the President of AAPPM. He practices at Tanglewood Foot Specialists in Houston.

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