As artificial intelligence becomes more common across Canadian industries, physicians say carefully deployed AI tools could help ease pressure on the country’s strained health-care system — from reducing paperwork to identifying patients at risk of serious complications.
One of the most widely adopted tools is the AI “scribe,” which transcribes and summarizes conversations between patients and clinicians. Dr. Muhammad Mamdani, former vice-president of data science and advanced analytics at Unity Health Toronto, says the technology can significantly reduce administrative burden during patient visits.
Without a scribe, doctors must juggle listening, typing and clinical reasoning at the same time — a process Mamdani describes as disruptive for both physicians and patients.
“It’s really distracting, not only for you but for patients as well,” Mamdani said in an interview with CTVNews.ca. “It’s not a great experience.”
Since adopting AI scribes in his family health practice, Mamdani said physicians are able to focus more fully on patients while saving time.
“Studies have shown it can free up about three to four hours per week for physicians,” he said.
While the technology is not flawless — AI can mishear or misinterpret information — Mamdani noted that doctors still review all notes. Even so, he said most physicians find the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
“More than 80 per cent are comfortable with it because the time savings are substantial,” he said.
AI that flags life-threatening risk
Beyond administrative support, AI is also being used in clinical care. At Toronto’s St. Joseph’s Health Centre and St. Michael’s Hospital — both part of Unity Health — an AI model continuously monitors patients in general internal medicine and surgery units.
The system analyzes 150 to 170 clinical indicators every hour to predict whether a patient is at high risk of death or intensive care admission within 48 hours.
“When the model reaches a high-risk threshold, the medical team is automatically paged and must see the patient within an hour,” Mamdani said.
According to a study published last year in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the system has contributed to a 26 per cent reduction in unexpected mortality since its implementation five years ago.
“These tools essentially help save lives,” Mamdani said.
AI ‘cannot replace us,’ doctors say
As public-facing AI tools such as ChatGPT become more popular, some Canadians have turned to chatbots for medical advice. But physicians warn that AI cannot replace professional care.
Dr. Margot Burnell, president of the Canadian Medical Association, said the core of health care remains the relationship between doctor and patient.
“AI will be a tool, but it cannot replace us,” Burnell said. “We need empathy, trust and the ability to understand a patient’s goals.”
Burnell added that people are more likely to seek advice from AI or social media when they lack access to a trusted primary care provider — a growing issue across Canada.
CMA surveys show about one-third of Canadians have sought medical advice online, and one in five reported harm, including delayed diagnoses or complications, Burnell said.
Addressing system strain — cautiously
Mamdani agrees AI will never replace physicians, but argues it could help address inefficiencies in a system under strain.
“We have long wait times, many people don’t have a family doctor, and millions aren’t getting the mental health support they need,” he said.
He pointed to a 2024 report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, which found that 15 per cent of emergency department visits between April 2023 and March 2024 involved conditions that could potentially have been managed in primary care.
“There’s a lot of inefficiency right now,” Mamdani said. “The question is whether AI can help alleviate some of that, because clinicians are already doing the work of three or four people.”
Still, Burnell stressed that AI adoption must be done carefully. Privacy, consent and data ownership remain major concerns, as does the risk of reinforcing inequities.
“AI is only as good as the data it’s based on,” she said, noting that systems trained on narrow populations can produce blind spots and biased outcomes.
While physicians are optimistic about AI’s potential, Burnell said caution is essential.
“Doctors are excited, but they do have concerns — and those concerns are shared by patients and the public,” she said. “We need to move forward thoughtfully.”