AI is a ‘third party’ in the consultation room, say experts
New BMJ series explores how AI is reshaping traditional doctor-patient interactions and considers its implications for healthcare
AI is fast becoming a third party in the consultation room, reshaping the traditional two way doctor-patient relationship with important ethical and practical implications, say experts in The BMJ today.
A new BMJ series provides insights into this technological shift, introducing the concept of ‘triadic care,’ where clinicians, patients, and AI jointly shape clinical encounters.
Yet while this technological evolution has transformative potential for healthcare, the presence of AI can affect the dynamic of trust, empathy, and communication that forms the cornerstone of person-centred care.
As such, safe and effective adoption depends on strong governance and institutional readiness to safeguard trust, ensure patient safety, and maintain clinical standards, say authors.
In an editorial to accompany the series, Sandeep Reddy and colleagues point out that regulatory approaches are emerging globally but remain inconsistent, and many healthcare institutions still lack fundamental AI governance structures, deploying AI tools without adequate oversight, which “poses significant risks to patient safety and clinical quality.”
Technology companies developing healthcare AI also bear significant responsibility for safe deployment, yet accountability remains limited, they add.
Coordinated governance frameworks are essential, they write, while healthcare institutions should establish comprehensive AI governance structures before widespread deployment, and regulatory bodies need flexible guidelines that can keep pace with AI while upholding rigorous safety and efficacy standards.
Technology companies must also be held to high standards of transparency regarding post-market surveillance and adopt clear accountability mechanisms, they add, while professional associations and licensing bodies must mandate AI literacy training for healthcare professionals and revise liability frameworks to reflect triadic care.
Without urgent and coordinated action, they warn that the benefits of AI “risk being undermined by avoidable harms and loss of public trust.”
In the first article of the series, David Navarro and colleagues explore how AI is already used by both clinicians and patients in consultations, leading to a shift from knowing answers to helping patients interpret AI generated information in context.
They suggest that simple infrastructure, such as documentation standards and transparent technology, can make this shift observable and safe, and say research must examine how AI transforms the doctor-patient relationship and develop frameworks for this evolution.
Other articles will consider the patient experience and the competencies that clinicians need to use AI transparently and effectively within the clinical encounter.
“This series is a step in helping clinicians navigate AI in practice,” says Jocalyn Clark, The BMJ’s International Editor. “The BMJ is committed to publishing evidence and commentaries to further support clinicians in adapting to this technological shift and integrating AI into routine care.”
18/11/2025
Notes for editors
Link to series page: https://www.bmj.com/
Related posts
-
Racism and sexism are “alarmingly normalised” in the NHS -
Mental health disorders, malaria, and heart disease most affected by covid pandemic -
Time to see lived experience in healthcare as expertise -
Imposter study participants risk undermining patient care, warn experts
