Researchers at Microsoft have developed a new artificial intelligence tool designed to diagnose medical patients step by step, mimicking human clinical reasoning, according to a study published in Science. The study indicates that the AI model proved more than twice as accurate as general physicians at solving complex medical cases while operating at a lower cost.
The system adopts an approach distinct from traditional medical AI models, which typically evaluate all patient symptoms, lab results, and imaging studies simultaneously in an all-at-once assessment. Instead, Microsoft’s model utilizes an orchestrator that organizes how the technology tackles a problem by employing a simulated panel of clinical experts collaborating to solve diagnostic cases.
The AI orchestrator coordinates the sequence of questions directed at a patient regarding medical history, identifies significant findings during physical examinations, and determines which diagnostic tests should be ordered. As test results become available, the model continuously updates its working hypotheses and diagnostic plans, ordering further testing when appropriate.
Dr. Dominic King, corporate vice president of the health unit at Microsoft AI, noted that while older AI systems excel at passing multiple-choice medical examinations, those benchmarks do not reflect clinical realities. No patient presents with a neat summary in real-world practice, according to King.
During testing, researchers presented the model with more than 300 highly unusual and confusing medical dilemmas. The findings revealed that the model utilizing the diagnostic orchestrator was over twice as accurate at working up patients and determining correct diagnoses compared to general physicians relying on textbooks and the internet.
Harsha Nori, head of AI at Microsoft AI Health, emphasized that evaluations measured not only diagnostic accuracy but also the judiciousness and carefulness of the diagnostic work-up. The research showed that diagnostic processes also incurred lower costs when the orchestrator designed the clinical investigations.
Building on these results, the Microsoft research team plans to conduct its next evaluation through a collaboration with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Researchers will test the tool’s capabilities in triaging patients within emergency department waiting rooms.
