ADPA CEO's Perspective: AI, Healthcare, and the PA Profession: Implications of Sam Altman’s “AI‑Proof” Comment
- Sep 12
- 2 min read
Author: Peter Yen, DMSc, MSHA, PA-C, LSSGB, ACHE
Executive Summary
· Fortune reports Sam Altman’s view that healthcare is still growing and comparatively “AI‑proof,” with human‑intense roles least likely to be automated [1].
· PAs won’t be replaced, but the day‑to‑day mix will shift as AI takes over rote cognitive tasks; value concentrates in procedures, complex judgment, leadership, and communication [1][2].
· BLS data confirm healthcare remains a consistent job‑growth engine in 2025, even as overall hiring slows (e.g., +55k in July; +31k in August, led by ambulatory care, hospitals, and nursing/residential care) [3][4][5].
· DPAs are well positioned to lead clinical AI governance, quality improvement, and workflow redesign—bridging bedside, operations, and data [2].
What the article said (in brief)
Fortune (Sept 11, 2025) highlights Altman’s view that healthcare stands out amid AI disruption—still expanding and relatively resilient to automation, compared with screen‑bound roles (e.g., customer service) that are hit first [1][2].
Implications for the PA Profession
· Role evolution, not elimination: AI drafts notes, triages inboxes, suggests first‑pass differentials; PAs lean more into procedures, nuanced decision‑making, and family/patient communication [2].
· Throughput ratchet: As documentation time drops, leadership will expect higher productivity; set guardrails tied to safety and quality outcomes [1].
· Accountability shift: The debate moves from “who can diagnose?” to “who supervises and validates AI?”—PAs who can verify and document AI use gain influence [2].
· Human work gets more human: difficult conversations, motivational interviewing, managing uncertainty—these remain core, high‑value tasks.
Specific Opportunities for Doctoral‑Trained PAs (DPAs)
· Clinical AI Governance & Safety: Chair/model selection committees, bias/drift audits, and author “AI use in clinical care” documentation standards (clear human‑in‑the‑loop) [2].
· Workflow Architecture: Re‑engineer triage, alerts (e.g., sepsis), navigation, discharge risk, and documentation; own change‑management and KPIs (LOS, readmits, response SLAs, RVUs).
· Quality & Research: Run pragmatic QI trials on AI tooling (time‑to‑diagnosis, med errors, callback rates); publish results; support IRB processes.
· Education & Credentialing: Build micro‑credentials on AI literacy, prompt hygiene, verification, and failure modes; tie to privileging and scope.
Bottom Line
Altman’s thesis is good news for PAs if you lean into what AI cannot do, and own the safe, effective use of what it can. DPAs are uniquely suited to run governance, QI, and operational integration that turns AI from hype into measurable clinical impact [1][2][3][4][5].
References
1. [1] Fortune. “Healthcare is the one profession growing right now—and according to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, it may be the only one immune to AI.” Sept 11, 2025. https://fortune.com/2025/09/11/healthcare-job-growth-ai-proof-according-to-openai-ceo-sam-altman/
2. [2] Business Insider. “Sam Altman predicts AI will take customer service jobs first—and speed up a ‘historical’ rate of job turnover.” Sept 11, 2025. https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-says-ai-will-speed-up-job-turnover-hit-service-roles-first-2025-9
3. [3] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The Employment Situation—August 2025 (PDF). Sept 2025. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf
4. [4] BLS. “Health care added 55,000 jobs in July 2025.” The Economics Daily. Aug 8, 2025. https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2025/health-care-added-55000-jobs-in-july-2025.htm
5. [5] BLS. Employment Situation Summary (web). Aug 2025. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
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