This article was exclusively written for European Sting by Ms. Tejashwini Harinath Balla, a fourth-year medical student at GMERS Medical College, Himmatnagar, Gujarat, India. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Introduction

Its integration into health and healthcare systems has redefined the boundaries of what is possible in medical research, diagnosis, and treatment planning. At its core, AI technology is a boon, particularly in the realm of research and data management.

AI as a Boon for Medical Research

 Medical research has always been a field demanding accuracy, speed, and the ability to process vast amounts of information. AI algorithms excel at these tasks, especially in conducting complex data meta-analyses. By scanning, comparing, and synthesizing thousands of research papers, clinical trials, and patient data points in record time, AI saves researchers countless hours. This acceleration has already led to groundbreaking technological advances. 

For instance, a recent study used AI to perform a rapid meta-analysis (RMA) on the ocular toxicity of hydroxychloroquine: 11 studies were automatically identified, screened, and statistically analysed in under 30 minutes, estimating incidence of ocular toxicity at 3.4% (95% CI 1.11%–9.96%).  Similarly, LEADS, a foundation model for human-AI collaboration in literature mining, was trained on over 633,000 instruction points from systematic reviews, clinical trials, and registries; clinicians using LEADS in study selection saved ~22.6% time while maintaining high recall (0.81 vs 0.77) compared with experts without AI, and achieved greater accuracy in data extraction with ~26.9% time saving.  Furthermore, in the domain of medical imaging, meta-analysis over 36 studies found that AI-assisted image interpretation reduced reading time by ~27.2% (95% CI 18.22%–36.18%), with large reductions in screening workload when AI is used as pre-screening or second reader.

Concerns of Overdiagnosis and Clinical Complexity

However, alongside these benefits, the literature is starting to document significant concerns especially around overdiagnosis, misclassification, and diagnostic complexity. Overdiagnosis occurs when AI flags “abnormalities” of marginal or uncertain clinical significance, leading to further unnecessary investigations or treatments. In mammography screening in Denmark, a retrospective study comparing AI-supported screening to standard screening found that while cancer detection rates rose (from ~0.70% to ~0.82%), false-positive rates dropped (from ~2.39% to ~1.63%) and recall rates decreased by ~20.5%.  On the other hand, AI systems are not immune to bias: a study of chest X-ray classifiers demonstrated that under-served populations (for example, Black female patients, low socioeconomic status groups) are more likely to be underdiagnosed by state-of-the-art AI models.  Also, some AI-based early warning systems, while improving patient outcomes (e.g. reductions in in-hospital and 30-day mortality), were associated with trade-offs such as increased ICU length of stay, possibly because higher risk patients are identified earlier and referred more aggressively, thereby complicating resource allocation and clinical decision paths.  These issues show that integrating AI can introduce additional layers of diagnostic complexity rather than simply reducing them.

Towards Synergy: Technology and Healthcare Workers.

The challenge, therefore, lies not in rejecting AI, but in shaping it to work in harmony with existing healthcare systems. Healthcare is fundamentally a human-centered service, requiring empathy, intuition, and experience that machines cannot replicate. Technologies should be designed to support, not overshadow, healthcare workers. The ideal future is not one of high-tech dominance but of “good tech” tools that integrate seamlessly into clinical workflows, reduce administrative burdens, and enhance the physician-patient relationship. Rather than creating deeper layers of complexity, AI should act as an assistant that strengthens decision-making, allowing professionals to focus more on patient care.

Conclusion

While AI has demonstrated extraordinary potential in transforming healthcare research and practice, its limitations cannot be ignored. Overdiagnosis and added complexities highlight the importance of mindful implementation. What healthcare workers truly require is not the deepest or most complex technology, but reliable, adaptable, and user-friendly systems that work in synergy with their daily practice. A balanced approach where AI complements rather than complicates human expertise will ultimately define the success of this innovation in advancing health and healthcare.

References

1. Rao A, Hou C, Mateen BA, Cahan A, Su GH, Prasad V, et al. Rapid meta-analysis: Application of artificial intelligence in evidence synthesis.

2. Xu J, Xu L, Yang Y, Wang Z, Zheng H, Chen X, et al. LEADS: A foundation model for human–AI collaboration in systematic reviews. 

3. Wu E, Xu L, Zheng H, Lee J, Zhang Z, Kim S, et al. Meta-analysis of AI-assisted medical imaging: Efficiency gains in interpretation. Radiology. 

4. Retrospective Danish Study. AI in breast cancer screening: Reduced false positives but clinical implications remain. Medical Xpress. 

5. Seyyed-Kalantari L, Liu G, McDermott MB, Chen IY, Ghassemi M. Underdiagnosis bias of artificial intelligence algorithms: Disparities in chest X-ray classification. 

6. Yazdi F, Rahman M, Khan S, Ahmed S, Sadeghi S, Hamid T, et al. Impact of artificial intelligence–based early warning systems on patient outcomes: A systematic review. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak.

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About the author

I am Tejashwini Harinath Balla, a fourth-year medical student at GMERS Medical College, Himmatnagar, Gujarat, India. My academic journey has nurtured a deep interest in medical research, with a particular focus on the role of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare. I am passionate about exploring how emerging technologies can transform clinical practice, improve diagnostic accuracy, and strengthen patient care. At the same time, I believe that medicine must retain its humanistic values, where technology works in harmony with physicians. My goal is to contribute to a healthcare system that is both innovative and patient-centered.

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