Abstract
The convergence of large datasets, increased computational power, and enhanced algorithm design has led to the increased success of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) across a wide variety of healthcare professions but which, so far, have eluded formal discussion in physiotherapy. This is a concern as we begin to see accelerating performance improvements in AI research in general, and specifically, an increase in competence within narrow domains of practice in clinical AI. In this paper we argue that the introduction of AI-based systems within the health sector is likely to have a significant influence on physiotherapy practice, leading to the automation of tasks that we might consider to be core to the discipline. We present examples of some of these AI-based systems in clinical practice, specifically video analysis, natural language processing (NLP), robotics, personalized healthcare, expert systems, and prediction algorithms. We address some of the key ethical implications of these emerging technologies, discuss the implications for physiotherapists, and explore how the resultant changes may challenge some long-held assumptions about the status of the profession in society.
Keywords: Artificial intelligence; automation; clinical practice; health professions; machine learning.
Similar articles
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning | applications in musculoskeletal physiotherapy. Tack C. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2019 Feb;39:164-169. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2018.11.012. Epub 2018 Nov 23. PMID: 30502096 Review.
- Developing an Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Health Care Practice: Rewiring Health Care Professions for Better Care. Wiljer D, Hakim Z. J Med Imaging Radiat Sci. 2019 Dec;50(4 Suppl 2):S8-S14. doi: 10.1016/j.jmir.2019.09.010. Epub 2019 Nov 29. PMID: 31791914
- Artificial intelligence in nursing and midwifery: A systematic review. O'Connor S, Yan Y, Thilo FJS, Felzmann H, Dowding D, Lee JJ. J Clin Nurs. 2023 Jul;32(13-14):2951-2968. doi: 10.1111/jocn.16478. Epub 2022 Jul 31. PMID: 35908207 Review.
- Emerging applications of machine learning in genomic medicine and healthcare. Chafai N, Bonizzi L, Botti S, Badaoui B. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2024 Mar;61(2):140-163. doi: 10.1080/10408363.2023.2259466. Epub 2023 Oct 10. PMID: 37815417 Review.
- Introduction to The Spine Journal special issue on artificial intelligence and machine learning. Karhade AV, Schwab JH. Spine J. 2021 Oct;21(10):1601-1603. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2021.03.028. Epub 2021 Mar 27. PMID: 33785475
