Artificial Intelligence (AI): Redesigning and Revolutionizing Healthcare System

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is neither completely new nor fully well-improvised topic, globally. Most of us may be quite aware or completely unaware about this topic. Thus, today we are going to discuss about this global hot topic in more detail.

This article about Artificial Intelligence will enlighten us about what Artificial Intelligence (AI) is, AI ways for effective and efficient health care, benefits/advantages of AI, challenges for successful implementation of AI, threats from AI and possible future applications of AI.

Let’s start one by one !

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence, also known as machine intelligence is the intelligence shown by the machine/electrical appliances.
It is an intelligence shown by the machine where the machine imitates the cognitive function like that of the human being.
It is a relatively new field of intelligence where computers/machine perform tasks that are usually expected to require human intelligence.

What is Artificial Intelligence in healthcare?

Artificial intelligence in healthcare is the use of algorithms and software for analyzing medical data, diagnosis and management of the cases and providing medical treatment through the use of computer or machine.
It is a process where computer/other machines are used to analyze relationships between the prevention, treatment outcomes and patient outcomes.
AI in health care can be applied to diagnosis, treatment protocol development, drug development, personalized medicine and patient monitoring and care.
Application of AI in health care can be broadly categorized into 3 categories: algorithmic solutions, visual tools and medical practice.
It is a promising technological advancement in healthcare which revolutionizes health care system through the use of computer and robots

10 Artificial Intelligence (AI) ways for effective and efficient health care:

Using a telehealth system to get medical advice where the patient will use telehealth service to talk to the health care provider (HCP). Here, the condition of the patient will be notified to the HCP using smartphone or smart sensors and the artificial intelligent system will suggest HCP about the next steps. Moreover, pictures and videos of patients can also be uploaded which will be used by the computer to provide more suggestions and action steps.
Using Electronic Health Record (EHR) to track the patient entire medical history so that neither patient nor HCP have to worry about the earlier health records. These EHR are universally acceptable and privacy protected and will ease the HCP to make better assessment or diagnosis of the patient.
Caring and treatment of chronic patients through visiting nurses and doctors using smart phone and ‘Uber’ type technology
Use of AI robots for taking care of non-ambulatory patients in home or hospital setting
Performing or assisting major surgeries in order to minimize human errors and increase the effectiveness
Using AI to deliver health education messages in hospital settings and also making them responsive to patient requests for providing immediate feedback
Human resource management in hospital settings using AI risk monitoring and treatment protocols.
Analysis and interpretation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) to give information about the patient health status
Identifying if the patient’s health is life-threatening or not on the basis of his/her symptoms
Providing digital medical consultation on the basis of personal medical history and common medical knowledge

12 Benefits/Advantages of AI:

AI can be connected with cloud based “Big data” so that the individual patient treatment can be done by comparing and contrasting with other patient database of similar condition. This will facilitate in making the best diagnosis and flawless treatment.
Artificial intelligence will help Health Care Provider (HCP) to make more accurate and faster and high-speed diagnosis.
AI helps to increase the sensitivity of the HCP and thus reduces human error
Early identification and diagnosis of non-communicable diseases like cancer, heart disease etc.
Access to high volume data will help the HCP to make more reliable and better decisions on specific cases of similar nature and will also ensure best treatment within shortest possible time.
Use of AI and robots in health care also increases social acceptability of the health care, especially in conservative societies/regions of the world.
Reduced mortality rates through improved disease diagnosis, disease management and treatment
AI will help to perform repetitive and mundane jobs (E.g.: X-ray, CT-scan, data entry etc.) more faster and accurately which can be monotonous and time taking for humans

AI also helps in storing patient information which can be accessed anytime from throughout the globe.
Early diagnosis of disease and prevention of premature death
Prevents the overload of data and only gives data that are more relevant and contextual to the present case/patient
Reduction of administrative costs in health care

Challenges for successful implementation of AI:

Medical culture that gives more value to physically present doctors intuition over evidence-based solutions.
High costs and low affordability for low income countries
Controversies regarding violation of ethical issues in case of rights to privacy and confidentiality of the patient data
In some parts of the world like Middle East, use of human data by the technology is seen as a disrespect and disregard to the patient/human being
Lack of understanding about Artificial Intelligence among the general public

Threats from AI:

Increase in unemployment: According to one study in US, AI can take up to 47% jobs in next 20 years.
Chances of breakdown or malfunctioning of the machine/computer which may completely disable and jeopardize the system
Chances of data leakage through malevolent action of third parties
Full dependence of HCP’s on Artificial Intelligence and robots for the diagnosis and treatment management
Possibilities of biased and incomplete algorithms which may lead to huge failure of health care system along with ethical violence, if done intentionally
Possibilities of loose patient-physician relationship as the doctor and patient may not have enough interaction between them

Possible Future Applications of AI: