From the operating room to the doctor’s office, providers in Hampton Roads are experimenting with artificial intelligence tools they say can make procedures faster and record-keeping more efficient.
Surgeon Michael Campbell utilizes an AI tool called VIRTUGUIDE for bunion operations. By analyzing patients’ X-rays and scans in seconds, the system allows the surgeon to simulate the procedure, determine how to correct the deformity and select the tools to make those adjustments before a patient walks into the operating room.
The program then creates a customized surgical guide that serves as a set of reference points during the operation.
“The AI software is to pick the perfect guide,” Campbell said. “Once you’ve done that, the hard part of the surgery is done, and then it simply needs to be applied in the operating room.”
He said bunion surgery has long been considered one of the more technically demanding foot procedures.
Seasoned surgeons with thousands of cases can make it look simple, Campbell explained. But for many surgeons, the operation is complex and challenging, particularly when it comes to tailoring a treatment plan for each patient.
Campbell said the use of AI helps with “accuracy, precision, making the surgery faster and requiring fewer and smaller cuts on the foot.”
One of Campbell’s patients, Valerie Blitzer, said she turned to surgery after years of worsening pain from bunions that left her unable to exercise, walk comfortably or wear heels.
She said her surgery was shorter and less invasive than she expected, lasting just 90 minutes instead of the several hours she heard it may take.
“I was concerned I would be having to wear orthopedic shoes for the rest of my life,” Blitzer said.
Campbell cautioned that while AI streamlines planning, it cannot replace a surgeon’s judgment. He compared the technology to a self-driving car — helpful but never fully autonomous.
“So the reality is, while it can do it independently, you have to sign off and double-check everything to make sure it's accurate before you can proceed,” Campbell said.
Studies by the Pew Research Center and published in Nature show that AI’s growing role in health care is fueling concerns about patient privacy and weakening trust between patients and providers.
At Sentara, one of the state’s largest healthcare systems, clinicians have adopted a different AI tool called DAX Copilot, which automatically generates clinical notes during patient visits.
The tool cuts down on paperwork and gives providers more time to focus on care, according to Joe Evans, Sentara’s chief health information officer.
Evans said the technology is not only changing doctors’ workflow but also reshaping the training of the next generation.
“Today, we spend a lot of time in medical training, learning a lot of basic science, and I think AI will be able to accelerate that,” Evans said. “Also part of medical education will be how to use these AI tools in a safe manner.”
Evans co-chairs a Sentara’s AI oversight program, which has been in place for nearly three years. The program brings clinicians together with experts on the legal and ethical implications to vet new tools.
He said the team reviews how algorithms are built, weighs risks and monitors approved systems to ensure they remain safe and reliable.
“If the stakes are high and it's going to affect clinical decision making, it has to be a partner,” Evans said. “The human always has to be in the loop.”
