Digital Health Frontier Blog

By John Halamka and Paul Cerrato — The latest research suggests that these digital tools will eventually become useful medical assistants, but we still need to watch for unpredictable fabrications and misstatements.

By John Halamka • March 25, 2024

By Paul Cerrato and John Halamka — In our efforts to encourage prevention and wellness, we often advise patients to exercise, eat better, and manage their stress. Let’s not overlook the importance of a strong social network.

By John Halamka • February 27, 2024

By John Halamka and Paul Cerrato — Some technologists worry that the latest AI systems have the potential to outsmart their makers and enslave humanity. They’re ignoring more realistic technological concerns that challenge the healthcare community.

By John Halamka • February 14, 2024

By John Halamka and Paul Cerrato — With so many developers launching AI algorithms, end users worry that they may be investing in useless—or harmful—technology. Academic medical centers, technology companies, and federal agencies have joined forces to address the challenge.

By John Halamka • January 22, 2024

By John Halamka and Paul Cerrato — Computers can’t hold a candle to a 10-year-old’s mastery of human language. But despite their shortcomings, they continue to surprise us with their ability to mimic the way we communicate.

By John Halamka • January 9, 2024

By John Halamka and Paul Cerrato — The term knowledge graph may not be part of your everyday vocabulary, but if you are interested in digital health, it’s worth taking a closer look.

By John Halamka • December 21, 2023

By John Halamka and Paul Cerrato — No sensible clinician would ever allow a large language model to replace them at the bedside, but those who want to use these digital tools to supplement their decision making might benefit from prompt engineering.

By John Halamka • December 12, 2023

By John Halamka and Paul Cerrato — At face value, LLMs seem to exhibit the logical, analytical skills of experienced clinicians. But trying to comprehend what’s “under the hood” remains a challenge.

By John Halamka • November 28, 2023

By John Halamka and Paul Cerrato — The U.S. government and the European Union both realize the need for measured control over the latest technology. Implement too many regulations too quickly and you stifle innovation. Move too slowly and you risk harm from irresponsible players in the field. 

By John Halamka • November 13, 2023

By John Halamka and Paul Cerrato — This digital tool may help healthcare professionals obtain safer, more reliable replies to their large language model prompts.

By John Halamka • November 2, 2023