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The Role of AI Assistants in Healthcare and Pharma Media

Published June 13, 2025

Anthony Manson

Anthony S. Manson, Chief Digital Officer, Healio

Hansa Bhargava, MD, Chief Clinical Strategy and Innovation Officer, Healio

AI Assistants in Healthcare

AI platforms and AI-powered assistants are transforming the healthcare and pharmaceutical media industries.

According to a 2024 Healio survey involving 641 doctors from various specialties and across academic, community, private, and solo practices, over 51% of physicians use AI medical applications to support their practice, from improving efficiency to aiding in more accurate clinical decision-making.1

AI’s ability to enhance clinical care is immense. From point-of-care decision support to accessing up-to-date treatment guidelines, doctors and clinicians are increasingly seeing the value of AI assistants in their daily work.

AI is quickly evolving from a novelty to an essential part of delivering timely, high-quality care. Here are ways AI assistants are changing the medical landscape:

Enhanced information access and synthesis

Vast knowledge base

AI assistants access and process massive datasets of medical literature, clinical trials and patient records far beyond a human’s capacity.

Rapid, relevant retrieval

Such tools have the capability of quickly sifting through these data to find relevant information for a specific patient case or research question, saving physicians countless hours in research.

Decision support

AI assistants deliver evidence-based insights to guide diagnosis and treatment planning, reducing uncertainty and potential errors.

Continuous learning

These tools constantly update their knowledge base with the latest research, ensuring physicians have access to the most current information.

Impact on physician decision-making

Evidence-based practice

AI assistants promote evidence-based medicine by providing readily accessible and up-to-date research findings.

Reduced cognitive burden

By automating tasks and offering insights, these tools alleviate cognitive overload for physicians, enabling them to focus on critical thinking and patient interaction.

Enhanced collaboration

AI assistants facilitate collaboration among healthcare professionals (HCPs) by providing a shared knowledge base and decision support system.

EHR integration

Soon, these assistants will be integrated into EHR platforms, where they may analyze historical patient data combined with in-the-moment exam notes to assist doctors in making precise clinical decisions through real-time predictions of treatment effectiveness and potential outcomes.

Challenges and considerations

Bias and fairness

AI algorithms must be carefully evaluated to ensure they are free from bias and provide equitable care to all patients based on current evidence-based research.

Transparency and explainability

Understanding how AI assistants arrive at their conclusions/summaries is essential for building trust and ensuring responsible use.

Human oversight

Although AI can assist in decision-making, it should not replace human judgment and empathy in patient care.

Commercial opportunities for pharma

Research suggests that physicians are increasingly turning to AI assistants over traditional medical information sources. These platforms present new data and content distribution channels for the pharma industry.

For example, search results within AI assistants can feature “From Industry” content, similar to how Google displays “Sponsored Results” at the top of its search pages. Just as search engines became essential media investments for brands, AI assistants are poised to become measurable and impactful tools for driving awareness and engagement.

Further, the data generated from these AI assistants will provide deep insights into the topics HCPs search for most frequently, as well as the patient diseases and challenges they encounter, enabling more targeted and relevant communication strategies.

Notably, this year Healio is launching OncoIntel, a new product that combines advanced AI technology with expertly curated content, developed in partnership with one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment institutions. OncoIntel will help clinicians stay at the forefront of oncology care and research. For pharma companies, it will offer a unique opportunity to drive brand visibility and engagement within an innovative digital environment.

Looking ahead

AI-driven assistants are revolutionizing how physicians stay informed, make clinical decisions, and deliver patient care. By providing rapid access to information, enhancing diagnostic accuracy, and streamlining workflows, these tools empower physicians to practice more efficiently and effectively. As HCPs increasingly turn to AI tools for information and learning, their impact on the healthcare media and marketing industries should not be underestimated.

As we move forward, it’s important to ensure that these tools are safe, reliable, unbiased, and transparent. Organizations that prioritize these values are more likely to gain the trust of clinicians, a key differentiator in this new “arms race” of digital innovation in health.

1 Understanding HCP Channel Trends & Preferences. Healio. 2024.  

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