# Towards better healthcare: What could and should be automated?

**Authors:** Wolfgang Frühwirt, Paul Duckworth  
**arXiv:** [1910.09444](https://arxiv.org/abs/1910.09444)  
**Date:** 2019-10-21  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/arxiv-id/1910.09444v1/

## Key points

- Wolfgang Frühwirt and Paul Duckworth explore benefits and drawbacks of AI and automation in healthcare
- Concerns raised about impact on healthcare professionals
- Interdisciplinary study conducted to gather empirical evidence on automatability in healthcare work
- Probabilistic machine learning models used, trained on ratings from practitioners and automation experts
- Findings shed light on possibilities and limitations of automation in healthcare
- Automatability-Desirability Matrix developed as analytical tool for policymakers and organizational leaders
- Study provides insights into effective utilization of AI and automation in healthcare while considering needs of stakeholders
- Contributes to discussions on responsible implementation of technology in healthcare.

## Summary

Wolfgang Frühwirt and Paul Duckworth explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technologies in the field of healthcare in their study titled "Towards better healthcare: What could and should be automated?". While these advancements have the potential to revolutionize healthcare, they also raise concerns about the impact on healthcare professionals. To address these concerns, the authors conducted an interdisciplinary study to gather empirical evidence on which aspects of healthcare work could be automated and which ones should be automated. They employed probabilistic machine learning models trained on thousands of ratings provided by both healthcare practitioners and automation experts. The findings of their quantitative investigation shed light on the possibilities and limitations of automation in healthcare. Based on these findings, Frühwirt and Duckworth developed an analytical tool called the Automatability-Desirability Matrix. This tool aims to assist policymakers and organizational leaders in developing practical strategies for harnessing the positive power of automation technologies while ensuring a smooth transition for stakeholders. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into how AI and automation can be effectively utilized in healthcare while considering the needs and perspectives of those working in the field. The research contributes to ongoing discussions surrounding the responsible implementation of technology in healthcare settings.