In the early 1970s, AI first made its way into healthcare with the development of MYCIN, a program designed to assist in diagnosing and treating blood infections. In the current times, Generative artificial intelligence (AI), a game-changer in healthcare, is transforming how we personalise treatment, making it more tailored to individual needs.
Personalised Care with AI
Generative AI is making it possible to create treatment plans that are uniquely suited to each patient. Instead of relying on one-size-fits-all methods, this technology uses detailed data, like medical history and genetic information, to provide personalised recommendations. This not only makes treatments more effective but also aims at avoiding unnecessary side effects, leading to better health outcomes for everyone.
Predictive Analytics: Catching Health Issues Early
Generative AI isn’t just about personalising care; it’s also about predicting and preventing health problems before they start. By looking at a lot of patient data—like vital signs and lab results—AI can spot patterns that might signal future issues.
It could be diabetes or a heart disease - the early warning allows doctors to take action sooner, moving from just treating problems as they arise to preventing them, which can lead to better outcomes at lower costs.
Better Diagnostics: Speed and Accuracy Combined
Diagnostic errors can prove fatal, and Generative AI has immense potential in helping healthcare providers make informed decisions. It can make the diagnostic process faster and more accurate by analysing medical images, like X-rays or MRIs, and often spot things that the human-eye might have missed.
This technology supports doctors in diagnosing conditions earlier and more accurately, which is key to improving patient care and reducing errors. It also helps ease the pressure on healthcare systems by cutting down on unnecessary treatments.
How does this help in improving Patient Care
According to a report by PwC India, the global healthcare AI market size is expected to reach USD 45.2 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 44.9% from 2021 to 2026. Virtual health assistants powered by generative AI are changing how patients interact with their healthcare. These smart tools can chat with patients, offer personalised health advice, and help with things like medication reminders.
With these assistants, patients get real-time support and can even have remote consultations with their doctors. This makes it easier for patients to manage their health and stay engaged, while also helping healthcare organisations run more smoothly.
The penetration of gen AI can be seen in the mental health field too. Through AI-powered apps and chatbots, individuals can access real-time mental health assistance. AI applications in mental health are not only beneficial for patients but also for caregivers, providing real-time guidance and support in certain unfamiliar or unexpected situations.
What are the Challenges? What ethical considerations should be in place?
While generative AI offers huge benefits in healthcare, it's important to address the ethical challenges that come with it. Issues like patient privacy, data security, and bias in algorithms need careful management to ensure AI is used responsibly.
Healthcare organisations must focus on being transparent, accountable, and protecting patient data. By adopting fair and ethical AI practices, the healthcare industry can fully benefit from AI while keeping care focused on the patient.
Here are some real life examples:
Medical imaging systems such as MRI and CT scanners must provide optimal clinical performance and predictable cost of ownership. While clinicians understand the need for maintenance, any system downtime can be costly for health service providers. To overcome this challenge, Philips Healthcare is moving from reactive to data-driven, proactive maintenance, utilising new sources of sensor data along with machine learning models to enable scheduled, predictable and non-intrusive service actions that don’t interrupt regular clinical workflow. Philips Healthcare is moving towards zero unplanned downtime of medical imaging systems using remote monitoring and predictive analytics. They collect and process data from devices to identify potential problems, reduce the likelihood of costly downtime and minimise impact on patients.
Leading healthcare organisations like Beth Israel Lahey Health and the National Healthcare Group of Singapore are leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to unlock and access data across the healthcare continuum to deliver world-class care. A world-class digital experience is a priority for every health organisation focused on embracing new digital patient engagement strategies that lower the cost of care, increase healthcare quality, and improve patient experience and member engagement. Healthcare organisations are trying to help individuals move towards a more informed and comprehensive health and wellness lifestyle and are helping to manage individual health challenges with informed and inspiring communications.
However, to truly unlock its potential, we need to address the ethical challenges and use this powerful technology responsibly. By doing so, healthcare providers can offer more precise, proactive, and patient-centric care, improving the quality of healthcare for everyone.