Impact of AI on Access to Care a Three-Pronged Approach for Enhancing Access to Surgical Care: Lessons From Electrical Safety and the Impact of AI on Health Equity

As we enter the 21st century, a new wave of transformation is occurring in health care, mainly through artificial intelligence (AI). Like electricity, AI is a powerful tool that can either harm or heal, depending on how it is managed. In 2015, the United Nations created the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to achieve peace and prosperity for people and the planet. Goal Three of the agenda aims to “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” by improving access to health care, reducing disparities, and reducing mortality and morbidity for the world’s population. Nowhere is this more critical than surgical care access, where AI can reduce disparities and improve outcomes for underserved populations—rural communities, special populations, and oncology patients—while posing risks if not adequately grounded in ethical and equitable practices. We introduce the three-pronged approach as a metaphorical framework to mitigate the risks and enhance AI's benefits in addressing access to surgical care. By focusing on data quality, continuous system evaluation, and ethical governance, we can ensure AI delivers equitable, effective, and safe health care outcomes for all, especially for the most vulnerable.