Sylf Warns Doctors’ Association of Being Outmaneuvered in AI Game
During a recent council meeting, Sweden’s younger doctors’ association, Sylf, issued a warning to the Doctors’ Association, cautioning that they risk being outmaneuvered if they do not seriously engage in the discussion and implementation of AI in healthcare.
Fredrik Jöneby, speaking on behalf of Sylf, emphasized the inevitability of AI’s presence in the healthcare sector, stating, “AI will come, whether we want it to or not – and whether we’re on board or not. If we are not involved from the beginning, we will stand there when a happy regional politician has bought into it.”
However, the federal board of the Doctors’ Association defended their current efforts in digitization, stating that they are already working on it. Marina Tuutma, a member of the board, mentioned, “We have intensified our work in 2023.”
This response was met with opposition from several speakers, including Ylva Kastrup from Västra Götaland’s medical association, who argued that digitization and AI are distinct concepts. Kastrup emphasized the need for doctors to take the lead in defining AI’s role in healthcare.
The council also debated the clarity of Sylf’s motion, with Jöneby explaining that the wording was intentionally vague to allow flexibility in approaching the issue.
“We deliberately chose this somewhat vague wording because it is an issue that will change, and we did not want to lock the federal board into working in a certain way. We don’t know how AI will come, only that it will,” Jöneby stated.
Ultimately, the delegates approved Sylf’s motion, signaling a recognition of the importance of prioritizing AI in the healthcare sector.
The discussions at the council meeting highlight the growing importance of AI in healthcare and the need for proactive engagement from medical professionals in shaping its role in the industry.