Healthcare jobs that could be replaced by AI in Colombia

Although many medical tasks require clinical judgment and human empathy, some repetitive, administrative, and automatable diagnostic functions are being taken over by AI systems. In Colombia , this transformation is already beginning to be felt , especially in areas with a high operational load and less access to advanced technology. Which will be the first to feel this transformation? AI anticipates it.

These are six healthcare jobs that could be threatened by AI in the coming years:

1. Radiologists

AI is already capable of analyzing medical images such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs with increasing accuracy. Trained algorithms can detect fractures, tumors, or abnormalities faster than a human. Although radiologist still plays an important role in validating and contextualizing findings, routine tasks could be automated in Colombian clinics and hospitals.

2. Medical coders

In the healthcare system, coders are responsible for classifying diseases, procedures, and diagnoses into codes for billing and statistics. AI can perform this task quickly and with less margin of error, especially when integrated with electronic medical records. This could reduce the need for dedicated staff.

3. Medical transcriptionists

Traditionally, many doctors dictated their clinical notes and other professionals transcribed them. Today, AI-powered speech recognition tools can accurately convert audio to text, even in Colombian Spanish. This could gradually eliminate the need for transcribers in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

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4. Clinical Laboratory Technicians Although still essential, many laboratory analysis processes are already highly automated. With the incorporation of AI, everything from identifying microorganisms to reading results can be done without human intervention, reducing the need for certain technical profiles, especially in large-scale urban laboratories.

5. Receptionists and administrative staff

Medical chatbots and automated patient care systems are replacing some of the work involved in reception, scheduling appointments, managing authorizations, and delivering results. In private clinics and healthcare providers in Colombia, this is already being implemented to reduce wait times and operating costs.

6. Optometrists in routine tasks

Although human contact remains key in vision assessment, there are AI systems that can perform basic eye exams and recommend lenses. In commercial optical stores, especially, these systems could take over some of the technical work, relegating the professional to supervisory or specialized consultation roles.

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What are the risks of AI in medicine?

According to the United Nations website, ethics and health experts emphasized that, although artificial intelligence has great potential to improve healthcare, it is essential that there is always a responsible human professional behind every clinical decision. This is due to the following factors: Excessive automation can weaken the doctor-patient relationship, especially among vulnerable patients or those with less technological access. The uneven implementation of AI technologies could deepen the gaps between those with access to advanced systems and those without. AI could supplant administrative tasks and certain routine diagnoses, reducing the need for some healthcare professionals. Companies could emerge promoting AI tools with exaggerated promises, without clinical support, distorting competition and trust. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that AI in healthcare can be a powerful ally, as long as it is under human supervision, backed by robust regulation, and focused on protecting patient rights and dignity.