What is an AI model? What is the “phygital” future?
These are two of the core concepts discussed in this episode of Real Talk. Scot Morris, OD, and Rehan Ahmed, MD, demystify the core of artificial intelligence by breaking down what an AI model actually is: a mathematical program trained on massive datasets through pattern recognition and “backpropagation.”
The discussion evolves into the concept of “phygital” (physical + digital) care—a hybrid model of health care that leverages AI across three critical stages:
- Pre-Visit: Using AI kiosks and cross-specialty data integration for early disease detection and streamlined diagnostics.
- During the Visit: Transforming the traditional clinic into an empathetic, data-rich environment where AI acts as an ambient scribe, freeing physicians to focus on the human connection.
- Post-Visit: Automating patient follow-ups, medication compliance and the complex world of billing and coding.
The hosts conclude with a call for better data sharing, arguing that transparency between health systems is the final hurdle to fully realizing the potential of augmented intelligence in eye care.
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