Doctors are already using AI. Will a robot heal you?

Data from the 2024 report "8th Edition of the Study on the Degree of Computerization of Entities Performing Medical Activities" (e-Health Center) indicate that AI tools are already present in 13.2% of Polish hospitals. This is twice as many as in 2023. This most often concerns AI support in diagnostic imaging, with nearly 34% of facilities using it for the analysis of computed tomography scans, and nearly 16% for the interpretation of magnetic resonance imaging.

It will help, but it will not replace a doctor

In therapy, artificial intelligence supports the selection of personalized treatment methods based on analysis of the patient's history and the latest scientific research. AI also has applications in rehabilitation, for example, in the form of intelligent assistants that help with home exercises. It's natural that technology based on enormous computing power will analyze countless amounts of data more quickly, but ultimately, the physician always makes the final diagnostic and therapeutic decision, based on their experience, which AI lacks. It's safe to say that artificial intelligence will not replace doctors, but it will be a permanent support system, both in the practice of primary care physicians, residents undergoing specialization, and specialists.

They replaced paper indexes and guidelines

The Polish market already has many apps that have replaced paper drug indexes, diagnostic guidelines, and therapeutic guidelines. Due to constant development and scientific discoveries, these are changing rapidly, so constant updates to scientific databases are essential and must be accessible—simple and fast. Given the growing waiting lists for doctors, apps that support physicians can significantly impact more efficient medical visits, diagnostics, and therapy. Mobile apps have also become an integral part of preparing for the State Specialization Examination—there's probably no resident physician today who would imagine studying for the exam based on traditional, once-popular paper flashcards.

Scientific heritage and advanced technologies

Traditional solutions are evolving, and this is also evident among publishers that have been present in the Polish market for many years. One example is the oldest Polish medical publishing house, PZWL, founded on June 8, 1945, in Warsaw at the initiative of Professor Stanisław Konopka. For decades, it was known as the State Medical Publishing House, and since 1993, it has operated as an employee-owned company and part of the PWN Group.

The Polish Association of Medical Physicians and Surgeons played a crucial role in rebuilding Poland's scientific and publishing infrastructure after World War II. To date, it has published over 15,000 titles, including academic textbooks, guides, encyclopedias, and medical journals. Its publications have benefited generations of doctors and medical students in Poland.

Keeping pace with the times, Poland's most popular medical publishing house has created the Medico PZWL platform , which combines scientific heritage and advanced technologies. It has introduced MediChat, an artificial intelligence-based chat platform. The platform includes all key functionalities, including a drug and drug interaction database, patient recommendations, clinical tools, multimedia and memo cards, a PES question database, and the aforementioned MediChat.

According to its creators, MEDICO PZWL is the largest database of verified medical knowledge in Poland, supported by the latest technological advancements. The platform offers access to over 150,000 expert-reviewed documents, including scientific journals, guidelines, patient recommendations, and books published by PZWL, PWN, and other renowned medical publishers, organized by subject area and tailored to the user's level of expertise. The platform uses AI to generate answers to clinical, educational, and therapeutic questions, always citing the specific source. All answers are based solely on verified content.

Responds to real needs

MEDICO PZWL is substantively supported by a Program Council composed of over 20 renowned experts. This group of opinion leaders, recognized authorities in their fields, authors of the latest guidelines, scientific consensuses, and numerous publications, whose clinical practice has a significant impact on the development of medicine and treatment standards. These include: Prof. Artur Mamcarz, MD, PhD, DSc, Krzysztof Simon, MD, PhD, DSc, Jacek Jassem, MD, PhD, DSc, Marek Posuła, MD, PhD, DSc, Anna Raciborska, MD, PhD, and Prof. Katarzyna Winsz-Szczotka.

"Creating the platform is a natural step in the development of a digital publishing house and a response to real needs in healthcare and education. We consulted every functionality of the platform with its future users, both doctors and students, because we want this solution to address their real needs and challenges in their daily work," says Natalia Wojciechowska, CEO of the PWN Group.

In an era of growing staffing challenges in healthcare and a growing patient population, AI is no longer just an innovation. It's becoming an essential tool for ensuring efficient and safe healthcare. The MEDICO PZWL platform can become a crucial support in diagnostics and treatment, allowing doctors to focus on what matters most – the patient," adds Natalia Wojciechowska.