By Ed Watal
Virtually every industry is embracing the new paradigm of artificial intelligence (AI), thanks to the technology’s promise of increased efficiency and productivity. One industry that could see the most benefits from AI’s potent capabilities is medicine. AI will benefit medical professionals and patients alike, including faster and more accurate diagnoses, safer and more affordable operations, and more.
A significant factor in why the AI revolution will be so transformational in medicine is the severe physician shortage the industry faces today. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects that there could be a shortage of as many as 86,000 physicians by 2036. Because of this, any tool that the existing medical workforce can use to become more efficient and provide better patient care could be an essential force in the future of medicine.
For this reason, medical professionals have—like those in many industries—begun using AI technology to enhance their productivity. Some of the most basic use cases of AI technology include automating patient intake paperwork or using AI-powered chatbots to answer frequently asked questions related to topics such as insurance, billing, or other routine issues that do not require the intervention of the care team.
Another way AI is being used in healthcare is to enhance the observational abilities of medical practitioners. In other words, these tools help medical professionals see more, expanding their capabilities far beyond what they could do without AI assistance. As a result, scientific procedures will become safer, quicker, and more accurate, ensuring the best possible outcomes for patients.
AI for Medical Diagnostics and Treatment
For example, AI’s advanced data analytics capabilities can be leveraged to enable faster image analysis. If an AI model can be trained to look for anomalies in medical images like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, those results can then be relayed to medical professionals, who can then interpret them and determine an appropriate course of treatment for the patient. Extensive studies have been conducted that have determined that generative AI models have a similar level of accuracy as human radiologists in producing reports in an emergency room setting.
With the help of these powerful AI tools, medical professionals can provide patients with faster and more accurate diagnoses. These models detect diseases with incredible levels of accuracy, sometimes even identifying conditions that could not be identified with the human eye — in some cases, even before the patient is symptomatic. When doctors diagnose diseases in their early stages, they have a better opportunity to intervene, treat the patient, and contribute to a full recovery.
AI could also be a game-changer in the development of personalized medicine. Many medical innovators have begun experimenting with AI models to sequence a patient’s genome and develop treatment plans tailored to their specific needs and conditions. In other words, instead of prescribing generalized treatments that may or may not work, a medical professional can use an AI model to analyze patient data and match an ideal treatment to their specific situation.
Similarly, AI models can analyze patient data to perform an accurate and efficient risk assessment. A pre-operative risk analysis can ensure patients are safe and prepared for an operation by analyzing their conditions, including any relevant medical charts and radiographic images. If the model identifies any concerns that could harm the patient’s health, the surgeon can be alerted and carefully consider whether or not to proceed with the operation.
Although the tools directly help medical professionals by streamlining their workflow, they also have benefits (both direct and indirect) for patients. When a medical professional’s job is streamlined, they can focus more on what matters most: providing care to the patient. This could prove instrumental in making healthcare more accessible and affordable to those who need it most.
In many ways, AI technology is accentuating the efforts of human medical professionals. Although it is worth noting that these tools are still fallible, they are effective as resources to be used by busy medical professionals to make their jobs easier. A study conducted by the National Institute of Health on the diagnosis of brain tumors found that the AI model had a 95% accuracy rate, on par with (and even slightly exceeding) the 94% accuracy rate of the human pathologist. In all 14 cases where the AI made a false diagnosis, the human pathologist was able to make a correct diagnosis, highlighting the power of AI when combined with the skill and efforts of human medical professionals.
AI for Ongoing Medical Care
Another example of AI technology being used to supplement the efforts of human medical professionals is remote patient monitoring. For example, in settings like hospitals or nursing homes, an AI model can be trained to detect any anomalies that may signify a medical emergency, such as sudden changes in vital signs. The system would then alert the nurse or physician on duty, allowing the medical team to intervene quickly—hopefully before it’s too late.
AI has also proven to be a transformative force in wearable medical devices. Although wearable devices—sensors that track metrics like heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, physical activity, and more—are nothing new, AI is significantly increasing their capabilities and functionality. Now, wearable devices can provide instantaneous feedback and suggestions to users, serving as a first line of alert or defense against medical emergencies.
AI in the OR
An example of a more extreme use case of AI in medicine can be seen in surgical robotics. AI has been used in surgery for anything from providing automated surgical assistance to full automation of specific tasks. For example, in laparoscopic surgery, where surgeons use video screens to see a live feed of the organs they are operating on, AI models can provide intraoperative guidance, such as identifying surrounding tissue that may be diseased or any circumstances that could threaten patient health.
Ultimately, innovations in medical AI like this will profoundly affect the safety of medical procedures. Using the intraoperative guidance example, the aid of AI can reduce the risk of “collateral” damage to surrounding tissue and organs. These tools can also help reduce the amount of time a patient spends in the operating room and in recovery, significantly reducing much of the risk for patients.
In turn, this technology could also indirectly benefit patient care costs. When patients spend less time in the operating room, surgeons can conduct more operations in a day. Not only does this result in lowered cost per procedure due to fewer labor hours, but it also means that resources will be spread much less thin, allowing more patients to receive the care they need.
AI in Medical Research
Furthermore, artificial intelligence has proven to be a powerful resource for medical professionals conducting scientific research and developing innovations that change the world. Medical research, in particular, is a complex process with several steps. Streamlining this process by automating some of the more laborious tasks could save researchers countless hours and significant funding.
For example, artificial intelligence models can be invaluable in the drug discovery process. AI can analyze the molecular structures of different drugs and run simulations to test their potential efficacy and interactions. Using AI in the early stages of medical research is not only safer but also more cost-effective, enabling innovators to be more efficient in the riskier and more expensive human testing stages
AI is the Future of Medicine
AI technology is key to unlocking an exciting future for the medical industry. From the lab to the operating room, AI can simplify medical professionals’ tasks and enable them to provide better patient care. Now is the time for medical professionals to embrace this powerful innovation and enhance efficiency for both themselves and their patients.
Ed Watal is founder and principal of Intellibus. Questions and comments can be directed to [email protected].
